Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence smashed a cross-border wildlife trafficking ring. Agents carried out six operations in 10 days. They seized live animals and illegal derivatives. Thirteen people now face charges. The Ministry of Finance confirmed the crackdown on Wednesday.
In Assam, agents intercepted two suspects in Keokhali on September 5 with 12 Tokay Geckos. The animals are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act and CITES Appendix II. Officials handed the geckos and the pair to the Biswanath Wildlife Division. Earlier, on August 28, DRI caught three people in Karbi Anglong. They recovered 9 kg of pangolin scales plus 500 grams of tiger bones including a skull and teeth. The team seized their vehicle and passed the suspects to the Bokolia Forest Range Officer.
Meghalaya saw more action on September 7. DRI stopped a Bolero truck heading toward Mawhati in Ri-Bhoi district. A search uncovered 14.68 kg of dried pangolin scales inside three bags. Officers delivered the suspect and the contraband to the Range Forest Officer in Nongpoh.
The agency widened its net across the country. Teams rescued 180 Indian Star Tortoises near Gandhinagar in Bengaluru. Separate raids in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh yielded leopard pelts. The DRI said these cases "highlight the different forms and routes used in illegal wildlife trafficking." They are now pushing for tighter coordination with forest departments and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to shut down these supply lines for good.
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