Aizawl: A significant wildlife trafficking operation was dismantled in Mizoram’s Champhai district, close to the Myanmar frontier, as a collaborative effort between the Forest Department and Assam Rifles resulted in the recovery of thirty-one diverse exotic animal species.
Officials disclosed that the animals, suspected to have originated from a neighbouring nation, were intercepted during a meticulously planned operation.
The operation, which culminated on Wednesday, saw the arrest of six individuals in Zokhawthar village. Among those detained was a Myanmar national, highlighting the cross-border nature of the illicit trade.
Authorities valued the seized animals, which included 27 African spurred tortoises, 3 Patagonian maras, and a rare Albino Burmese python, at approximately Rs 1.3 crore in the international market.
Following their apprehension, the six accused were presented before the district judicial magistrate in Champhai.
Subsequently, they were remanded to a district jail, where they will await further legal proceedings. The successful operation underscores the ongoing efforts to combat wildlife smuggling in the region.
This incident follows a prior arrest on March 26, wherein officials from the Khawzawl district wildlife division apprehended a poacher.
This individual was taken into custody for the alleged illegal hunting of a barking deer and a rufous throated partridge within the district’s forested areas, revealing a persistent challenge in protecting the area’s wildlife.
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