Guwahati: In a major crackdown on illegal wildlife trade, a joint team comprising the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau , the Wildlife Protection Society of India and the Assam Forest Department's Bamunigaon Range rescued two pieces of suspected elephant ivory and arrested two people near the Assam–Meghalaya border.
The operation was carried out on the evening of 16th June at Santipur in Bamunigaon following specific inputs regarding the alleged movement of wildlife contraband in the area.
During the raid, the team recovered two suspected elephant ivory articles from the possession of the accused. The enforcement team also seized a Hero motorcycle, which was allegedly being used in connection with the illegal activity.
The accused were identified as Leson Marak aged 52 and Hopring Sangma aged 40. Both were taken into custody on charges related to the illegal possession of wildlife products and suspected involvement in wildlife trafficking.
The seized ivory and the accused were subsequently produced before the Bamunigaon Range Forest Office for further legal proceedings under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Police said investigations are ongoing to ascertain the source of the seized ivory and to determine whether the accused have links to a larger wildlife smuggling network operating in the region.