Inside the sea cucumber smuggling boom
A quiet multimillion‑dollar black market is exploding across the Indian Ocean, driven by one unlikely animal: the sea cucumber.
Sea cucumbers, peculiar marine creatures often overlooked, are now at the heart of a $200 million black market trade. These invertebrates, found in abundance around the Andaman Islands in India, are crucial for maintaining the health of the intertidal zone and overall ocean health. They recycle organic material, suppress coral diseases, and increase ocean alkalinity, helping to mitigate acidification.
Despite their ecological importance, sea cucumbers are also a sought-after delicacy, particularly in China and Southeast Asia, and can be used in traditional medicine. Historically, they've been traded between Indonesian fishers and Chinese merchants for over 800 years. However, over the past few decades, the demand for these creatures has surged, leading to overexploitation of global sea cucumber fisheries.
This has attracted the attention of criminal organizations, including Mexican cartels and the Japanese Yakuza, who have infiltrated the supply chain to profit from the illicit trade. While some countries, like India, have strict regulations against sea cucumber fishing, others, such as Sri Lanka and Madagascar, allow it. Despite these efforts, overexploitation continues, driving poachers to increasingly risky ventures.
Poachers must navigate treacherous waters, evading authorities, pirates, and even crocodiles, all in pursuit of these lucrative creatures. The Indian government introduced strict penalties for sea cucumber fishing in 2001, but the illegal trade persists. Experts argue that raising global awareness about the environmental and social harm caused by this trade is crucial in combating this issue.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
