Authorities thwart disturbing smuggling operation in joint raid: 'Several suspects attempted to flee'

Authorities in India recently busted an ivory smuggling ring, arresting several suspects.

What happened?

According to The New Indian Express, police and authorities from the forest department thwarted a smuggling operation in Keonjhar during a joint raid. 

The operation involved smuggling ivory tusks, with three recovered during the raid. However, a fourth tusk that the suspects claimed was in their possession remained unaccounted for at press time.

Authorities arrested two suspects during the raid. 

During an interrogation of the suspects, police obtained the name of the person they claimed they had gotten the tusks from and arrested that individual. That led to the arrest of an additional suspect. 

Keonjhar Divisional Forest Officer Dhamdhere Dhanraj Hanumant commented on the investigation. 

"Based on the credible intelligence received from the special cell of Keonjhar police, the raids were carried out and elephant tusks were seized near Talakaipur crusher," they began. 

"While being arrested, several suspects attempted to flee, but two persons were apprehended on the spot with a white plastic bag containing three tusks."

Why is this incident important?

Wildlife trafficking and the smuggling of animal parts are a billion-dollar business and, more importantly, a significant factor in depleting animal populations. 

Often, these animals are already endangered (or on their way to becoming so), which means their continued trafficking could result in the extinction of these species. Trafficking animal parts can also contribute to this possibility, as animals are injured or killed for these parts. 

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The smuggling of live wild animals has significant negative consequences, not only for the wildlife but also for people. When traffickers smuggle animals into a new country, the animals can become an invasive species. 

Invasive species can cause a wealth of problems, including the introduction of new diseases to native wildlife and humans, decreased food security for local communities, and billions of dollars in economic losses.

What's being done about this smuggling incident?

After all of the suspects taken into custody confessed to their involvement in the smuggling operation, authorities registered a first incident report under the relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. 

Meanwhile, authorities continue working to dismantle the broader ivory tusk smuggling network.

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