Forest Officials Disguised as Traders Bust Pangolin Smuggling Racket

Angul: Forest department officials on Sunday busted a pangolin smuggling racket near Patamunda village in Pallahara area in Angul district and arrested four persons in connection with the illegal activity.

The arrested accused have been identified as Santosh Mahakul and Kailash Nayak of Patamunda village, Gananath Nayak of Tainsira and Muna Munda of Jagmohanpur area in the district.

According to sources, the accused caught a pangolin weighing around 10 kg from forest and reportedly kept it in a house for the last two months while looking for perspective buyer.

Acting on an Intel, some forest department officials disguised as traders cracked a deal to buy the pangolin for Rs 2 lakh and nabbed the accused during the business transaction today.

“We laid a trap and approached them in the guise of traders and nabbed them. Further investigation is underway to find out whether more people are involved in the racket,” said Pallahara Forest Range Officer Duryodhan Jerai.