Indus Valley Times

By Mahendra Kumar Darjee

Balangiri, July 11: The wildlife protection wing of the Odisha forest department on Saturday busted a leopard skin smuggling syndicate in Kalahandi district. They seized three leopard skins and two nails of the big cats.

Four members of the syndicate were arrested for possession of the wildlife products.

Acting on a tip-off from a buyer of wildlife products from outside the state, a joint team of wildlife officials from Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Central Wildlife Crime Control Bureau conducted a raid and arrested the smugglers in Kalahandi while they were striking a deal to sell the leopard skins and nails.

The accused were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Wildlife Protection Act. Efforts were on to ascertain the possible involvement of other people in the smuggling syndicate, the state forest officials said.

According to sources, the illegal wildlife product trade has been growing in the area for several years now with crime syndicates making big bucks from the killing, smuggling, and selling of protected animals like leopards and other endangered species.

Wildlife experts say leopard body parts are in great demand in Asian countries. They are hunted for their skins, bones and other parts which are used in traditional medicines.

Those involved in the trade are highly organised criminals. They run a large supply chain. They have in their syndicates people ranging from the forest dwellers who kill the animals, transporters, smugglers and ultimately the buyers.