Ramanathapuram: In the joint operation, the forestry department personnel attached to the Mandapam range in Tamil Nadu and Guard Coast India (ICG) has confiscated 2.5 tons of sea cucumber.
Two men were arrested for hunting for protected species under Schedule I of the Margasatwa Protection Act, 1972.
Mandapam Forest Officer G Venkatesh said they were involved in the patrol joining from Beach Mandapam on Tuesday when they saw a fishing boat that was not registered.
The boat was intercepted from Thonithurai Beach.
Forest personnel and coast guards find sea cucumber in 100 cement bags.
There are 25 kg of sea cucumber in each bag.
All cucumbers are dead.
The duo on the ship has been identified as Mohammed Ansar, 19, and Prabhakaran, 42, both from the coastal village of Vedai.
The question revealed that the duo had hunted species in the deep sea and headed to the beach when they were arrested.
The defendant was ordered below 5, 39, 50 and 51 of the Law of Margasatwa Protection, 1972, and returned in trial detention.
Their boats and sea cucumbers are confiscated.
The process (dry) of sea cucumbers is worth several thousand rupees per kilogram in the international market.
It was mainly smuggled from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka on a fishing vessel from Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin District.