DRI seizes 6.53 kgs of Pangolin scales in Hanamkonda, four detained
In a major wildlife crime bust, officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Hyderabad Zonal Unit, seized 6.53 kg of Indian Pangolin scales during an operation in Hanamkonda, Telangana, on Saturday.
Hyderabad: In a major wildlife crime bust, officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Hyderabad Zonal Unit, seized 6.53 kg of Indian Pangolin scales during an operation in Hanamkonda, Telangana, on Saturday.
Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers mounted surveillance and apprehended four individuals involved in the illegal trade of pangolin scales. The seized scales are estimated to have been sourced from around five pangolins, a DRI statement said on Sunday.
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Pangolins are among the most trafficked mammals globally, primarily targeted for their scales, which are smuggled to markets in China and Southeast Asia for use in traditional medicines. The Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is listed in Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which prohibits its hunting and trade. International trade of pangolins and their derivatives is also banned under Appendix I of the CITES convention.
Following seizure procedures, the four accused along with the confiscated wildlife articles were handed over to the Forest Range Officer, Hanamkonda, for further investigation under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
