Villayutham, a smuggler headquartered in Rameswaram, was detained by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) for smuggling Sea cucumbers, a marine species protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Villayutham appeared in front of the Hon’ble Special Court for PMLA, Madurai, and the Hon’ble Judge granted ED custody for 8 days. Sea cucumbers are important to marine ecology because they absorb decaying organic materials and transform them into recyclable nutrients for other marine species.
The ED launched an inquiry into money laundering based on several FIRs filed by Tamil Nadu Police and Wildlife Authorities under various provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act. The PMLA investigation revealed that Villayutham had been using the business entities he had established, namely M/s. VVN Sea Foods, M/s. VV Agency, M/s Hotel Raamajayam, M/s VV Sea Shell Mart, M/s VVI Dry Fish Process, and M/s Hotel Raamajayam Restaurant, as a front for projecting the proceeds from illegal smuggling activities as legal business income. He had placed the earnings of smuggling activities in cash, totalling many crores, in bank accounts in the names of himself, his wife, his children, and several company companies managed by them.
Villayutham used the proceeds of crime to repay loans totalling multiple crores, including loans obtained in the names of his business entities, to purchase multiple movable and immovable properties, including a hotel, to pay exorbitant fees for his children’s medical college education, and to run his business entities. Further research is being conducted.
