In true filmy style, DRI Hyderabad officers posed as buyers to bust gang selling Pangolin in Kadiri

AP/Telangana: Officers of DRI Hyderabad Zonal Unit posed as buyers and arrested four wildlife traffickers involved in the illegal trade of Pangolin in Kadiri, Andhra Pradesh.

After receiving a specific tip-off that a gang of traffickers was seeking prospective buyers for live Pangolin, the officers of DRI Hyderabad Zonal Unit decided to pose as buyers and arrested the traffickers red-handed

A detailed plan was made by the officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Hyderabad Zonal Unit to bust the syndicate’s efforts to illicitly trade a live Pangolin.

After several rounds of negotiations, the traffickers brought the live Pangolin in a Jute gunny bag to a predesignated location at a remote place in Kadiri-Pulivendula Road. The officers on surveillance reached the location and rescued the live Indian Pangolin by apprehending the traffickers. After the seizure procedures, the live Pangolin and the four accused persons were handed over to the officials of the Kadiri Forest Range, Andhra Pradesh for further investigation.

In another incident, officials recovered an Indian pangolin at the Hajipur crossroads by the forest officials of Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Telangana.

Five persons had illegally caught the Indian Pangolin at the Chukkalagundem area of the Maddimadugu Range of Amrabad Division in Amrabad Tiger Reserve. Later Gaji Balaraju contacted Swathi alias Vadde Lakshmi for the sale of the captured Pangolin.

On receiving the intelligence from reliable sources, the forest officials caught the accused. A total of 13 accused have been identified in the preliminary offence report. Of them, 11 accused have been presented before a judicial magistrate for remand while two accused are absconding.

In the course of the investigation, it has come to light that the same gang is also responsible for the illegal trade of Pangolin

Why are Pangolins poached?

Pangolins are poached mainly for international markets in China and Southeast Asia for their scales, which are used as ingredients in traditional medicines. Pangolin meat is also considered a delicacy and consumed for its alleged medicinal properties.

Indian Pangolin (Scientific Name: Manis crassicaudata) is listed in Schedule-I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and is thereby provided the highest degree of protection. Their International Trade is prohibited under Appendix I of CITES. Accordingly, the live Pangolin was seized and the four persons were detained on 12.11.2024 under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 as amended.