3Kg dried Sea Horses meant for Sri Lanka seized
June 15, 2011 10:29 am
Tamil Nadu Forest officials seized three Kg of Sea Horses, a banned marine species and arrested three people in this connection near Rameswaram Bus Stand in Rameswaram. The rare marine species was meant for smuggling to Sri Lanka, Indian media reported.
Official sources said acting on a tip-off, the Forest Officials rounded up Siva, Kumaraguru and Navajeeva Doss and made the seizure.
In all, 2509 numbers of dried Sea Horses were seized from them.
Poaching and possession of Sea Horses is banned in India since they are classified as Schedule I animal under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
Moreover, International trade of Sea Horses is illegal under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to which India is a signatory.
Sea horses have great demand in countries like China, Taiwan, Philippines for their medicinal values. (UNI)
