Meghalaya Police Seize 14kg of Pangolin Scales

Shillong: Authorities seized 14.68 kg of dried pangolin scales in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district. Two people now face charges for wildlife trafficking. The bust happened on September 7. A vehicle traveling toward Mawhati near the Assam-Meghalaya border carried the illegal cargo. Officers found the scales stuffed inside three separate bags.

The suspects, their vehicle, and the contraband were handed over to the Range Forest Officer in Nongpoh. Officials will pursue the case under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. Pangolins fall under Schedule I of this law. They also appear on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Global black markets drive this trade. "Pangolin scales are among wildlife products illegally traded across the world, particularly in parts of Asia where they are used in traditional medicine," officials said. The department confirmed the arrests on Friday, September 11.