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 Odisha Forest Department seized a tiger nail, two bear nails and 202 pangolin scales from Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary during a raid. Two people were arrested. Link
Photo Credit: Kalinga TV
2. The Mizoram Police Department seized 24 exotic wild animals which included 18 snake species, four turtle species and two monkey species at the Kanhmun police check post near the Mizoram-Tripura border. The driver of the vehicle was arrested. Upon further investigation, the person who sent the parcels containing exotic animals from Zodin Bus Stand in Aizawl district, Mizoram, was arrested. The vehicle operator was instructed to deliver the parcels at Zo Sumo Travels Counter in Samuli Bazar Agartala district, Tripura. Link1 Link2 Link3 Link4 Link5
Photo Credit: India Today NE
3. In a joint operation, the Assam Forest Department, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and the Police Department seized a rhino horn from the Bharali Chapori area of Sonitpur’s Jamugurihat. One person was arrested. Link1 Link2
Photo Credit: Hindustan Times
4. Acting on intelligence, the officials from Customs (Preventive) Headquarters in Shillong and the Assam Police Department, seized 4 ivory pieces weighing 27.992 kg from Biswanath Chariali, Assam. One person was arrested. Link1 Link2 Link3 Link4 Link5
Photo Credit: Hindustan Times
5. In five separate incidents, 10 elephant tusks were seized from the states of Tamil Nadu and Odisha by the officials from Organized Crime Intelligence (OCIU) and the Forest Department. Link1 Link2 Link3 Link4 Link5 Link6 Link7 Link8 Link9 Link10 Link11 Link12 Link13
Photo Credit: The New Indian Express
6. In five separate incidents, five leopard skins were seized from the states of Odisha (3), Telangana(1) and West Bengal(1) by the Police and Forest Department. Link1 Link2 Link3 Link4 Link5 Link6 Link7 Link8 Link9 Link10
Photo Credit: Bengal Forest Department
7. During a routine vehicle check inspection the Andhra Pradesh Police Department seized 1589 (1426 live; 163 dead) Indian Flapshell Turtles from Foxpeta checkpost in Rampachodavaram forest division. The turtles were concealed in 20 sacks under sacks containing onions in a vehicle moving towards Odisha for their meat. Two people were arrested. Link1 Link2 Link3
8. A bus conductor found 218 Indian Star Tortoises in a passenger's bag boarding a private bus at Anand Rao Circle, Bengaluru, Karnataka. It is suspected the turtles were being transported to Chennai. Link1 Link2
Photo Credit: Deccan Herald/Jack Marshall
9. The Indian Coast Guards seized 97 kgs of sea cucumbers from Tamil Nadu’s North Vedalai sea shore in Palk Strait. The sea cucumbers were concealed inside sacks. Link1 Link2 Link3
Photo Credit: Indian Coast Guard
10. In a multiple species' seizure case, the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department seized parts of wildlife at Tunuhatti forest check-post on the Himachal-Punjab border. The media report mentions the species seized, which includes 25 fake jackal horns; 16 genitalia and 13 claws of monitor lizard; 4 skulls, 8 bones and skins of snake species; 11 porcupine quills; 1 flapshell turtle shell; 49 civet claws; 1 live Indian cobra and 1 live red sand boa. It is suspected that they were to be used in occult practices in Punjab ahead of the counting of votes for Lok Sabha elections. Four people were arrested on their way to Chamba on two bikes during a routine check. Link1 Link2
Photo Credit: Times Of India
Important Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) news from China:
Custom Officials seized 13 pieces of ivory products hidden in milk powder cans from an inbound passenger at Hangzhou International Airport. The products include 6 milky white bracelets and 7 pendants with a total weight of 268.18 grams. Link
Other IWT news:
- Nepalese man nabbed with wild animal parts suspected to be engaged in poaching and smuggling - Telegraph India
- Poachers caught with 22 live wild boars in Mohali | Chandigarh News - Times of India
- Chennai Man Arrested for Smuggling 1 Kg of Whale Vomit in Tamil Nadu - DT NEXT
- Nagaland: Two Women Arrested in Nagaland for Possession of 79 Red-Collared Doves - The Sentinal
- Leopard found dead Chattisgarh's Korba district; some body parts missing - ThePrint
- CID raids Billionaire Street Bungalow in Bengaluru; seizes endangered species - Deccan Herald
- Arunachal man arrested with four Otter skins in Assam's Dhemaji - NORTHEAST NOW
- 2 men arrested with 38 endangered Turtles | India News
- STF arrests two wildlife traffickers with 4 bear biles in Chamoli | Dehradun News - Times of India
- Security personnel detains man with crab snake in Bijni, Chirang district - India Today NE
- Madhya Pradesh STSF seizes exotics in India's first rule 49 M enforcement - Times of India
- 13 held for wild animal meat trade | Vishakhapatnam News - Times of India
- Two arrested for poaching monitor lizards near Sathanur dam in Tiruvannamalai - The Hindu
- Erode: Poacher caught from home while preparing wild rabbit for cooking - The New Indian Express
- Arunachal: Patrolling intensified in Pakke Tiger Reserve - India Today NE
- Forest officials posed as buyers to bust 2 gangs - The Tribune
- Man detained for smuggling deer antlers | Thane News - Times of India
- Forest Officials Seize Smuggled Timber In Boudh, Nine Detained - Pragativadi
- Forest dept detains man for illegally keeping Indian roofed turtles - Hindustan Times
- Illegal pangolin trader caught red-handed - Vietnam Agriculture
- Three men arrested for illegal trade of endangered species - Vietnam News
- BSF Rescues 67 Vulnerable Indian Star Tortoises from Wildlife Smugglers at India-Bangladesh Border - NE India Broadcast