Interpol-wanted wildlife trafficker finally caught near Indo-China border
After evading authorities since 2017, Yangchen Lachungpa, 43, was arrested on December 2 in North Sikkim.
She's accused of playing a key role in a major wildlife trafficking ring that stretched across Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and Indian cities like Delhi and Siliguri.
Her arrest came after months of undercover work by the Madhya Pradesh Tiger Strike Force and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau—often in freezing conditions.
What went down and why it matters
Lachungpa allegedly smuggled everything from tiger parts to pangolin scales and shahtoosh wool and red sanders.
When caught, she tried to destroy phones and a coded diary full of traffickers' names and money trails.
The global hunt for her ramped up after Interpol issued a Red Notice in October.
Now that she's in custody (with bail denied), investigators are digging into her records to track down buyers and middlemen—hoping this could help break up a major international wildlife trafficking network.