Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) sleuths busted an international smuggling racket and seized 8,000 kg of shark fins from godowns in Sewri and Veraval, Gujarat. The catch of the day, valued at Rs 45 crore, points to the indiscriminate killing of sharks and the cruel practice of shark-finning.

Stark tale
Finning involves cutting off the fin while the shark is still alive. The fin is the most valuable part, but accounts for just one to five per cent of a shark's mass. And, once that is removed, the shark is dumped back into the water, where it sinks to the bottom without its fin. The creature is left to die, either of suffocation, starvation, blood loss, or becomes prey for other predators.