The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized four leopard skins and apprehended eight people from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir involved in the illegal wildlife trade, said DRI officials on Sunday.
According to the DRI officials, an operation was launched following specific input of illegal wildlife trade by a few gang members in Srinagar. Initial investigation suggested that the leopards were poached from Ladakh, Doda and Uri.
Teams of DRI from Mumbai Zonal Unit (Goa Regional Unit) reached Srinagar and the officers posed as prospective buyers of the leopard skin and a detailed plan was made to track the accused persons.
After several rounds of negotiations, the sellers first brought the skin of a leopard to a pre-designated place in Srinagar near Dalgate. Officers on surveillance intercepted a person who was carrying a leopard skin near the designated place. On the basis of his information, another accomplice was also intercepted at a public place in Srinagar, mentioned the official statement from the DRI.
After securing the first catch, the rounds of intense negotiations were continued with another gang of sellers. After overnight negotiations, the sellers finally agreed to bring 3 leopard skins to a pre-designated location.
Three people carrying the contraband (3 leopard skins) were intercepted. The leads generated by information gathered from them indicated that 3 more persons connected to the transaction were waiting nearby at a public place. 2 teams of officers were immediately dispatched and they intercepted 3 persons at the public place, read the official statement from DRI.
Thus, a total of 8 persons involved in this illegal trading of wildlife, including one serving police constable, was intercepted and a total of 4 skins of Leopard (Panthera pardus) were recovered.
The subject 4 leopard skins were seized under the provision of section 50(1)(c) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as amended.
The seized contraband and the 8 persons who committed the offense under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 were handed over to the officials of Department of Wild Life Protection, Jammu and Kashmir after initial seizure proceedings under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, said the statement. (ANI)
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