Malkangiri,Dec.13 : Tightening the noose around the necks of illegal wildlife traders in the district, Malkangiri forest officials arrested at least seven persons and seized a Pangolin from their possession after conducting a raid in MV-10 village.
A Special Team of Malkangiri Forest Division, which was constituted after a tip-off on the bird smugglers’ presence in the MV-10 village last night, carried out the raid and arrested the accused.
“The illegal wildlife traders were under forest department’s scanner for past few months following reports of the flourishing animal market in the district. The traders were selling the caught animals in high price in the neighbouring country China as well South East Asian country Thailand,” informed Mirase Pradeep Devidas, DFO, Malkangiri.
The held persons have been forwarded to court and further investigation is underway in the case.
Prasanta Patnaik