The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha police busted a major wildlife smuggling racket with the arrest of a 25-year-old poacher in Mayurbhanj district on Wednesday.
Two leopard teeth, 29 leopard claws, 3.5kg of pangolin scales, and 46 parakeets were seized from the possession of the arrested person, identified as Nanda Bage. He hails from Padagada village under Jasipur police station jurisdiction of Mayurbhanj.
As per sources, the wildlife crime was unearthed after a team of STF, acting on reliable information, carried out a raid along with Karanjia forest staff this morning at canal embankment near Padagada village and apprehended the accused.
During the search, the pangolin scales, leopard teeth, leopard claws and parakeets were recovered from his possession.
“The accused person could not produce any authority in support of the possession of such trophies, hence those were seized. The apprehended person and the seized trophies were handed over to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Karanjia for necessary legal action at their end,” the STF said in a statement.
The specialised wing said further inquiry into the case is underway.
The STF, since the special drive against wildlife criminals and poachers, have been launched in 2020, has seized as many as 25 leopard skins, 13 elephant tusks, seven deer skins, 11 pangolin, 19.5 kg of pangolin scales, two leopard teeth, 29 leopard claws, 46 wild parrots and arrested 58 wildlife criminals.