Smuggler held with shark fins, stingrays

Tuticorin: The Q branch police in Tuticorin district arrested a man for trying to smuggle sacks of shark fins and stingray gills to Sri Lanka. The accused has been identified as Sahul Hamid.Q branch inspector Vijaya Anitha received a tip-off about the smuggling. Based on the tip-off, a team led by Anitha, sub-inspectors Jeevamani Dharmaraj and Velraj, head constables Ramar, Irudayarajkumar, Isakkimuthu and Govindaraj and constable Palani Balamurugan conducted a vehicular check in the Vembar beach area on Thursday night.The team intercepted a mini truck. Police found 11 bags of dried stingray gills and 10 sacks of dried shark fins. While shark fin trade is illegal and banned, there is no ban on stingray gills. Hamid, who was driving the mini truck from Vedhalai in Ramanathapuram district, told the police that the items were meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka.The mini truck, shark fins and stingray gills were seized by the Q branch police. The marine products were handed over to Vilathikulam forest range for further investigation. After gold and ganja, marine products fetch good returns for the smugglers. Stingray gills have a big market in Sri Lanka. Unlike shark fins, stingray gills are not banned and they can be easily transported in the guise of dry fish, according to a Q branch officer.