Raipur, April 12 (IANS) An illegal wildlife trafficking syndicate involved in the illicit trade of Indian Pangolin scales in Chhattisgarh’s Jagdalpur has been successfully busted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Nagpur Regional Unit (DRI, NaRU) of Mumbai Zonal Unit, officials said on Sunday.

During the operation, carried out on Sunday, three people were apprehended for their involvement in the illegal dealing and trading of Indian Pangolin scales. A total of 16.528 kg of Indian Pangolin scales was recovered from their possession, according to the DRI officials.

“The Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, affording it the highest degree of legal protection. Trade in pangolins and their derivatives is strictly prohibited under the said Act,” the officials said.

Accordingly, the recovered pangolin scales weighing 16.528 kg have been seized under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The officials stated that upon completion of seizure formalities, the arrested individuals, along with the seized pangolin scales, were handed over to the Forest Range Officer of Jagdalpur Range, for further necessary action under the relevant provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Pangolins are illegally hunted for their meat and scales, which are falsely believed to possess medicinal properties in certain traditional medicine markets and luxury fashion.

According to the officials, sustained international demand has fuelled organised poaching and trafficking syndicates, making pangolins the most trafficked mammals worldwide. Persistent international demand has fuelled organised poaching and transnational wildlife trafficking syndicates, making pangolins the most trafficked mammals in the world.

“With this operation, the DRI NaRU has dismantled multiple illicit wildlife trafficking networks since 2025, including a syndicate operating from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, involved in the trafficking of leopard skins, a network operating in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, involved in the killing of a tiger cub and attempting to illegally trade its body parts, a syndicate operating in Bhopal involved in trafficking of Leopard skins, a syndicate operating from Pileru, Andhra Pradesh involved in trafficking of Pangolin scales,” the intelligence agency said in a statement.

The officials said that these sustained enforcement actions underscore DRI’s “continued vigilance, commitment to wildlife protection and unwavering resolve in combating organised environmental crime”.

“Through close coordination with State Forest departments across multiple states and other enforcement agencies, DRI continues to dismantle national and international trafficking networks through precise, intelligence-driven operations under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,” the statement added.

–IANS

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