A joint team of forest & wildlife divisions of Odisha and Chhattisgarh busted a leopard skin smuggling racket in Kalahandi on Saturday. According to sources, the joint team seized 3 leopard skins and 2 nails following a raid.
Sources informed that 4 persons involved in the racket have been arrested in connection with the incident. The raid was conducted by the joint team of Forest officials from Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Central Wildlife Crime Control Bureau following a tip off. The smugglers were arrested in Kalahandi while they were striking a deal to sell the leopard skins and nails.
The accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Wildlife Protection Act. Efforts are on to ascertain the possible involvement of other people in the smuggling syndicate, officials said.
It is believed that illegal trade in wildlife products is rampant in the area. Experts claim that crime syndicates are involved in poaching, smuggling, and selling of protected animals and their parts.