DRI busts 2 gangs involved in illegal wildlife trade in Srinagar, seizes 4 leopard skins

By
Daily Excelsior
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Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Aug 13: The officials of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have busted two gangs involved in illegal trade of wildlife in Srinagar and seized 4 leopard (Panthera pardus) skins from the possession of gang members.
An operation was launched by DRI after it developed specific intelligence over a period of time that a few gangs in Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) are involved in the illegal wildlife trade and are searching for prospective buyers for the sale of leopard skins.
Accordingly, a detailed plan was made to apprehend the members of the gangs. Posing as buyers, officer of Mumbai Zonal Unit (Goa Regional Unit) reached Srinagar in J&K. After several rounds of negotiations, the sellers brought the first 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. 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.
The 3 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, two teams of officers were immediately dispatched and they intercepted 3 persons at the public place.
Thus, total 8 persons involved in this illegal trading of wild life, including one serving police constable, were intercepted and total 4 skins of leopard (Panthera pardus) were recovered. Initial investigation suggested that the leopards were poached from Ladakh, Doda and Uri.
The recovered 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 offence were handed over to the officials of Department of Wild Life Protection, J&K.

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