These animals, from the hedgehog and starfish family, are highly sought after in Asian cuisine.
Seventeen people were arrested today in Italy for forming a “criminal organization” that fished and sold sea cucumbers, something severely prohibited due to its role in habitat conservation and with which they earned 4.5 million euros.
The arrest of the 17 people, accused of the crime of environmental disaster with the aggravating circumstance of association, occurred this morning in the province of Taranto (south) after a “long and complex” investigation and involved the deployment of around one hundred agents, reported the Italian Coast Guard.
The detainees are all members of a “true criminal organization” that fished in the Gulf of Taranto, in the “heel” of the Italian boot, the “holothutoideas”, better known as sea cucumbers, despite being prohibited because they balance the ecosystem Marine.
These animals, from the hedgehog and starfish family, are highly coveted in Asian cuisine, considered a delicacy and also appreciated for their supposed medicinal properties, and for that reason they are increasingly the prey of international smuggling.
Its price is very high, up to an average of 300 euros per kilo, and in this way, this organization had illegally earned about 4.5 million euros, according to the Italian coastguards.
The substitute prosecutor for Taranto, Mariano Buccoliero, has been in charge of the operation, called “Kalimera”, and of discovering this millionaire business whose seriousness for the environment has been on the rise in recent years, due to the constant increase in demand.
This, as alleged, has caused “incalculable damage” to the environment but also posed “a health risk” if one takes into account that the fish product circulated in the markets without passing any sanitary control. (I)
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