Guwahati: Federal agents intercepted 86 rare gecko lizards during a smuggling bust along the Assam-Nagaland border. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence team caught the suspects at Bandarchalia, a village sitting within the Mariani Forest Range Office jurisdiction.
Authorities arrested Raju Kaitha from Namrupia Jungle Block and Anatu Watsa of Akahetu village. Officials caught the men while they moved the animals for illicit trade. The suspects now face a full investigation. DRI agents handed the pair and the animals over to forest rangers to track where the shipment originated and where it was heading.
The agency labeled the capture a standard part of their work. "The operation comes amid continued efforts by enforcement agencies to curb the illegal trafficking of wildlife along the Assam-Nagaland border," officials stated. Forest staff continue to process the evidence as they hunt for the broader smuggling ring.
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