Odisha Police launches drive to bust pangolin smuggling racket
What's the story
With the help of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), a special unit of the Odisha Police has launched a drive to bust an international syndicate that peddles "endangered" pangolin, one of the world's most illegally traded mammals, Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) RP Sharma said.
MLAT is an agreement between nations to exchange information or provide legal assistance for enforcing laws.
Arrest
Six persons arrested this year in pangolin smuggling racket
The move to bust the global racket gained pace after six persons, who were involved in smuggling pangolin scales from Odisha, West Bengal, and Mizoram to Myanmar and China were arrested earlier this year.
Himanshu Lal, DIG of STF of Odisha Crime Branch, said the key players in India have been arrested, while those operating from China and Myanmar are yet to be nabbed.
Smuggling racket
STF to approach Interpol to bust international pangolin smuggling racket
The STF is planning to approach the Interpol to bust the international network of pangolin smuggling, for which adequate preparations are being made at present, the DIG said.
Stressing that pangolin poaching is rampant in Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Boudh, and Rayagada districts, Lal said the "main consumer" of Pangolin scales happens to be China, where they have a huge demand for medicinal purposes.
Illegal pangolin trade
Odisha becomes a hub of illegal pangolin trade
"It seems that illegal pangolin trade has grown considerably in Odisha over the years. The animal scales are usually smuggled by road and trains to China via north-eastern states," he added.
Odisha has become a hub of illegal pangolin trade in the recent years.
"During monsoons, teams of smugglers from outside visit the area to procure scales of the animal," the wildlife expert said.