RAB seizes 700kgs of banned piranha, toxic shrimp

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Sunday seized 700 kilograms of carnivore fish piranha and toxic jelly-mixed shrimps in a predawn raid in the capital's largest Karwan Bazaar kitchen market.
"Two hundred kilograms of piranha and 500 kilograms of toxic shrimps were seized during the drive while five fish traders were detained," RAB's executive magistrate Helal Uddin told BSS.
He said the court fined Tk0.12 million and jailed one of the traders for a month for selling piranha, which has been banned in Bangladesh since 2008 as it is considered as a threat to indigenous aquatic life.
Of the rest four, one was fined Tk0.1 million for mixing toxic preservative jelly and infusing water into the shrimps to increase their weight for profiteering.
"The rests were freed after realizing Tk20,000 from them - one of them was fined Tk10,000 and Tk5,000 were realized from each of the remaining two," Uddin said.
Piranhas are normally about 14 to 26 cm long in size having similarity with traditional "chanda" fish but they could be recognized by their unique dentition having a single row of sharp teeth in both jaws.

-SS