Big catch: 8,000 kg shark fins worth ₹3.2cr seized, four exporters arrested
In one of the biggest cases of shark fin smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) held four people for the illegal trading of shark fins and seized fins worth ₹3.2 crore, which allegedly were meant for export to China.
The agency seized 3,000 kilograms of fins from a godown at Sewri and 5,000 kilograms from a godown in Veraval, Gujarat. The agency arrested mastermind Sarafat Ali, 39, his brother Hameed, 32, R Ahamed Asik, 34, and R Shivaraman, 28, who are exporters from Chennai. The four run a firm named ‘Global Impex Trading’.
Investigations revealed a chain of persons were involved in the act, from fisherman catching the prized catch, to those who export it to Hong Kong and China. Fins were falsely declared as dried ray skins, dried marine products and fish maw to escape officials.
According to officials, sharks are caught in shark “finning” – a process in which live sharks are caught onto the fishing vessel and fins are sliced. The mutilated fish is thrown back into the sea. With no fins, sharks can’t swim and either starve to death or are eaten by other predators.
“Sarafat Ali is one of the biggest exporters in fins who lives in Singapore one half of the year and in Chennai during the other half. He had appointed his Hameed,
MUMBAI:
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) stated that the seizure of fins is one of biggest in the country. “We estimate that close to 20,000 sharks were killed in deep seas for their fins,” said a DRI officer. Wildlife inspectors have confirmed the seized goods to be shark fins. During the investigations, officers said the stocks of shark fins replenish regularly. Shark-fins are one of the most luxurious fish products in the world that get higher prices in the export market. The white fins gave a superior yield than the black fins
Fins are used as shark fin soup, a delicacy in China and various parts of South East Asia.
Fin needles have very high nitrogen content, very low ash and no oil content and no non-protein nitrogen as compared to flesh
The pigeye, blacktip, sandbar, and hammerhead sharks are the best quality ones with big fins
All the internal organs like heart, liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, intestine, stomach and cartilage of the shark species are used as medicines, and are also used as anti-aging supplements. an MBA graduate, to look after the operations from Mumbai,” said a senior DRI officer privy to the investigation.
Explaining the modus, the accused said, “The accused sourced the fins from fishermen who venture deep into the Arabian Sea and the Bay and Bengal. The fish was processed in Gujarat, where they were polished, dried and treated before finally being kept in cold storage. It was then stored in Sewri or Gujarat to be sent to Chennai to be exported to Singapore and Hong Kong,” said the officer.
Asik was the document manager
SEWRI BUNDER - HUB FOR SHARK FIN COLLECTION
HT had reported on July 24 that fishermen along the Konkan coastline caught 3,086 tonnes or more than 30 lakh-kg of sharks during fish-landings in 2017, of which, 20% were identified as protected schedule 1 species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, as per the data from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). A city-based fishing group had pointed out that Mumbai was a hub for the collection as well as export of shark fins in India, with the main location being Sewri Bunder, where 8,000kg of protectedsharkspecieswere found during has also been carried out. Shark fishing is not illegal in India. Only hunting 10 protectedspeciesarebanned. of the firm, and the onus of preparing export and transport documents for exports from all the ports and airports was on him.
Shivaraman was in-charge of the Sewri godown and would receive and dispatch the fins to Chennai.