The trafficking of the endangered pangolin continues unabated in the State despite the multiple seizures and arrest of wildlife smugglers. In an example, the Special Task Force of Crime Branch on Thursday arrested three persons while they were striking a deal to sell a live pangolin in Bhubaneswar.
On a tipoff, the STF team conducted a raid near Kalinga Studio Chhak, in the city about a deal of sale of live pangolin by wildlife smugglers.
The team areested Chitrasen Sahoo of Badamba in Cuttack district, Khageswar Sahoo of Patrapda in Bhubaneswar and Bhagirathi Behera of Ganjam and during search, one live pangolin and other incriminating materials were seized from the trio’s possession. As the accused persons could not produce any valid authority in support of the possession of live scaly-skinned mammals, they were arrested. A police case under Sections of 379/411/413/120(B) IPC and Section 51 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1973 was registered against the accused. The pangolin would be handed over to DFO, Chandaka WildLife Warden for safe custody, the STF said.
In 2020, the STF, launched crackdowns against wildlife smuggling and arrested 32 smugglers while seizing as many as 15 leopard hides, nine elephant tusks, two deer skins, four live pangolins, and 13 kg pangolin scales.