- Title: INDIA: CUSTOMS OFFICIALS STUMBLE UPON DRIED SEA-HORSE SMUGGLING
- Date: 25th August 2005
- Summary: (L!1) MADRAS (AUGUST 06, 2005) (ANI) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) MV CUSTOMS OFFICIALS WITH A BOX FULL OF DRIED SEA HORSES MORE OF DRIED SEA HORSES KEPT IN A BAG MORE OF SEA HORSES MORE OF CUSTOM OFFICIALS WITH SEIZED SEA HORSES C.RAJAN, COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS, MADRAS AIRPORT, HOLDING A SEA HORSE MORE OF RAJAN HOLDING THE SEA HORSES MORE OF THE BAG FULL OF SEA HORSES VARIOUS OF THE SEIZED SEA HORSES (SOUNDBITE) (English) C.RAJAN, COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS, MADRAS AIRPORT, SAYING: "Our intelligence officers were keeping surveillance at the departure hall of the airport. At that time they spotted one luggage, which was kept in the corner. There was no passenger to claim that one. So after waiting for some time, they retrieved that one and opened it. After examination, they observed 10 kilograms of sea horses, dried sea horses kept in the baggage. These items are prohibited, they cannot be taken out of India." CAMERA OPERATOR MORE OF CAMERA OPERATOR FILMING THE SEIZED SEA HORSES (1.55)
- Embargoed: 8th September 2005 01:34
- Keywords:
- Location: MADRAS, TAMIL NADU, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Crime,Environment,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA3Y1E6ECSI2VX91H8K3FDOUTGT
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Customs officials stumble upon dried sea-horse smuggling.
India's southern Madras city's custom officials on Saturday (August 6, 2005) seized 10 kilograms of dried sea horses from the international airport, which they said were being smuggled out.
Sea horses are use in traditional Chinese medicines.
According to WWF, the sea horse population around the world is decreasing as countless numbers are lost every year with the destruction of their coral reef, sea grass and mangrove habitats.
Officials said they noticed an unclaimed baggage in the departure lounge with carried the sea horses, which are estimate to be worth 1.5 million rupees ($34,482) in the international market.
"Our intelligence officers were keeping surveillance at the departure hall of the airport. At that time they spotted one luggage, which was kept in the corner. There was no passenger to claim that one. So after waiting for some time, they retrieved that one and opened it. After examination, they observed 10 kgs of sea horses, dried sea horses kept in the baggage. These items are prohibited, they cannot be taken out of India," said C.Rajan, Commissioner of Customs, Madras airport.
Rajan said the police have arrested four people, including two women who are suspected to have left the baggage at the airport after being intercepted by the custom officials.
According to a recent study by TRAFFIC, a global wildlife trade-monitoring group, more than 20 million sea horses are smuggled every year causing the population crash by 50 percent over the last five years.
Worldwide there is a huge demand for sea horses for traditional Chinese medicine and the aquarium trade. Sea horses are considered a powerful aphrodisiac and are used to treat an array of ailments including asthma, impotence, infertility, throat infections and lethargy.
China alone consumes over 6 million sea horses annually, at prices up to $1,200 per kilogram.
The fascinating sea horse belong to the same family as pipefishes and sea dragons and are believed to have evolved over 40 mil lion years ago. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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