International smugglers racket with large consignment of exotic wildlife species busted

SILCHAR: In yet another major success in rescue of wildlife, personnel of Cachar Forest Division, Silchar intercepted a vehicle at Lailapur Forest Sub Beat and seized a large consignment of exotic wildlife species.

The Forest authorities here disclosed that a truck bearing registration No.TS 08 UB 1622 coming from the Mizoram side was intercepted by the Forest personnel at around 11:30 late Tuesday night. After conducting a search operation, the personnel rescued a kangaroo, six Macaw parrots, three tortoises and two monkeys from inside the truck.

Two persons named Narsimha Reddy and Navnath Tukaram Daigude have been arrested. Earlier in the course of interrogation, they revealed to the Forest personnel that the consignment was headed to Guwahati.

The Forest personnel were on a routine check of trucks passing through Lailapur to detect transportation of illegal timber. However, one of the Forest personnel detected obnoxious odours emanating from a truck. On being questioned, the driver replied that it was nothing but foul smell from some rotten fruits. Not convinced with the trucker's reply, the Forest personnel searched the vehicle and found the exotic animals packed in plastic and carton boxes.

The official team led by Lailapur Forest Sub Beat Officer Uttam Das also included guard Hemojit Singha, boatman Rajib Barman and casual worker Ali Ahmed Laskar.

Meanwhile, Forest Range Officer of Hawaithang Range, Dholai, D Deori is investigating into the matter under the direction of DFO Cachar Forest Division, Sunnydeo Choudhary. The DFO has directed the Investigating Forest Official to ascertain the health of the seized wildlife species by local veterinary doctors. Tonight, we'll send the seized animals to the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati.

"We suspect that these animals might have been smuggled from some zoos in Myanmar or other places. Though the destination is Guwahati, as reported by the drivers, there is all the possibility that the species were to be taken to some other place."

"Against the backdrop of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and its connection to wet markets, it's high time we put an end to such practices of keeping pet of these exotic species and refrain from illegal wildlife trade. Let them live in their natural habitat," said Forest Range Officer, Deori, adding that identification of exact species is going on.

In its first global report on the illegal wildlife trade, released a week ago, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) described wildlife trafficking as a "global threat", which also has links with other organised crimes such as modern slavery, drug trafficking and arms trade.

The illegal trade is estimated to generate revenues of up to $23 billion a year. This is stated in a Press Release issued from the Office of DDIPR, Barak Valley Region, Silchar.

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