The Ghaziabad Police arrested four youths and recovered a leopard skin from their possession on Wednesday.
Acting on a tip-off, the Indirapuram Police reached Vaishali colony and nabbed the youths— Aashish, Neel, Shubham and Abhishek, said Deputy Superintendent Indira Puram, Atul Yadav.
While checking their bags, police recovered a leopard pelt from their possession and after interrogation, all of them confessed that they were going to sell it, Yadav said.
The Forest department has assessed the value of skin around Rs6 lakh, he added. Police said they were trying to smuggle the skin to Delhi via Surya Nagar.
“They all are the resident of Gautam Budh Nagar district. They are in their twenties. They have been booked under section 9/50 Wild life Protection Act. The case is being investigated to nab the main culprit,” said Gorakh Nath Yadav, Inspector, Indirapuram.
“The skin was tested by forest department officers. It was found to be a leopard skin measuring 4.5 feet long which contained nails, all four legs, ears, tail and the complete mouth,” added the Inspector.