Thursday, May 19 2005 22:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: In one of the biggest hauls of illegal wildlife products in recent times, wildlife officials seized 41 live sharks en route to markets in Kolkata for supply to five-star hotels, from the Namkhana area of West Bengal's South 24-Parganas district.

A team of officials, led by the additional divisional forest officer of the district, M A Rahaman, intercepted a trawler, FB-Bomba in an undercover operation late last night (May 18, 2005) and seized the sharks near the Namkhana ferry ghat being ferried from the Bay of Bengal.

Rahaman told PTI that the sharks, weighing between 120 kg and six kg, were being ferried to different markets in Kolkata for supply to a number of five-star hotels.

Principal chief conservator of forests Atanu Raha told PTI that the sharks seized belonged to endangered species - Ganges shark, Guitar-fish, Indian Dog shark and Tiger shark - enlisted in the schedule one of the Wildlife Protection Act.

The owner of the trawler, Timir Chaudhury, a resident of Kakdwip in the same district was arrested along with 13 accomplices.

All the 14 persons were arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and produced at the Alipore CJM's court today (May 19), which remanded them to 18 days custody.

The court would hear the matter again on June 6. Shark fins are used for making soup at a number of city hotels and restaurants as well as for illegal export, the PCCF said.

Illegal trading of forest products was a non-bailable offence and punishment could be a minimum of 10 years in jail and a fine of Rs 20,000, Raha said.