The following content is collected from public information and does not represent the views of WCS-India.
Important Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) news from India:
1. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 400 live freshwater turtles in Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh. The van carrying the turtles was heading to West Bengal. In another related incident the Railway Protection Force (RPF) seized 117 live turtles from Utkal Express at Bhubaneswar railway station. The turtles were concealed in four bags under the seat. Four individuals were arrested. Link1, Link2, Link3, Link4, Link5
Photo Credit: Kalinga TV
2. In two separate incidents, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and the Forest Department seized 900 genitalia of Bengal monitor lizards from Maharashtra’s Nashik district. In one incident 19.6 kg of soft coral was also seized along with the genitalia. Link1, Link2, Link3, Link4, Link5, Link6, Link7, Link8, Link9
Photo Credit: Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
3. The Forest Department seized 26 kg of pangolin scales along with 5 leopard skins, 1 fishing cat skin and 1 leopard cat skin from Odisha’s Gajapati district. Seven individuals were arrested. Link1, Link2, Link3, Link4, Link5, Link6
Photo Credit: The New Indian Express
4. In a joint operation, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, the Forest Department and the Police Department seized 670 native parakeets from Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district. Link1, Link2
Photo Credit: Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
5. In two separate incidents, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, the Forest Department and the Police Department seized 840 kg of sea cucumbers from Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district. Link1, Link2, Link3
Photo Credit: Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
6. In a joint operation, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, the Forest Department and the Police Department seized 1 tiger skin and 1 Asian elephant tusk from Bihar’s Patna district. Link1, Link2
Photo Credit: Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
7. The Forest Department seized 1 Indian rhino horn from Assam’s Tamulpur district. One individual was arrested. The rhino horn was recovered from the house of the arrested person. Link1, Link2, Link3, Link4, Link5
Photo Credit: Northeast News
8. Customs at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, seized 10 (7 live; 3 dead) yellow anacondas concealed in check-in luggage arriving from Bangkok. One individual was arrested. The accused had flown down to Bengaluru via a Thai AirAsia flight. They were likely routed to India from South America via Thailand. Link1, Link2, Link3, Link4, Link5
Photo Credit: Bengaluru Customs on X
9. Following a tip-off, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau raided several shops selling musical instruments in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur District and seized 200 skins and 63 small pieces of skins of Bengal Monitor Lizards. The Monitor Lizard skins are used for making the percussion instruments locally known as kanjira Link
Photo Credit: Times of India
Important Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) news from Bangladesh:
1. Police seized 2 Asiatic black bear cubs from Bandarban, Chittagong district. One individual was arrested. The bear cubs were concealed within a bag attached to the motorcycle of the accused. Link
Photo Credit: Dhaka Tribune
Other IWT news:
- Lataguri Range personnel arrests two smugglers with elephant tusks | Siliguri Times
- STF seizes leopard skin in Odisha's Kalahandi district, two held | ANI News
- Pet seller hands over 8 Java Sparrows to forest officials | The New Indian Express
- 15 Turtles Rescued From Pet Shop, 2 Held | Visakhapatnam News | Times of India
- Illegal Timber Smuggling Foiled Near Indo-Myanmar Border in Manipur | Sentinel Assam
- Leopard poached, body parts used in gambling | Times of India
- Assam STF seizes 15.2kg elephant tusks near Arunachal border; poacher on the run | Hindustan Times
- 3 Held In Wildlife Smuggling Bust | Times of India
- Two Held For Smuggling Rare Snake Worth Over 3 Crore | Times of India
- Manipur: Assam Rifles operation nets six smugglers & Rs 3 crore worth of timber | Northeast Now
- Samba police seizes three vehicles for illegal transportation of Khair wood | Early Times
- Three Arrested For Smuggling Turtles | Times of India
- Forest Dog Sniffs Out Poaching Suspects, 3 Held | Times of India
- Assam: Forest department raids illegal timber mills in Bongaigaon, seizes valuable timber | India
- Two pieces of elephant ivory (Total Weight 2.385 kg) were seized in joint operation conducted by WCCB and Tamil Nadu Forest Department at Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu on 09-04-2024. Intelligence was developed by WCCB. | Instagram
- Sugandhagiri tree felling case: Disciplinary action against Kerala forest officers kept in abeyance | South First
- Uttar Pradesh Forest Department Books Man for Illegal Possession of Parakeets, Following PETA India Intervention - Blog | PETA India
- Seized langurs kept illegally in Agra are finally rescued and released | Ground Report
- HK authorities seize 63 turtles in baggage on flight from Malaysia | The Star
- Coast Guard seizes trawler, buries illegally netted stingray fish | Dhaka Tribune
- 200 rare turtles smuggled from Thailand seized at Lahore airport | Samaa TV
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