6 arrested with over 4 kg pangolin scales, guns in Jharkhand’s Latehar

Latehar, Nov 23 (PTI) A joint team of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) arrested six people, including a woman, during an operation against wildlife smuggling in Jharkhand’s Latehar, officials said on Sunday.

As part of the operation, the team conducted raids over the past two days in Mahuadand and Garu police station areas, they said.

“We seized three country-made guns, 4.3 kg of pangolin scales, powdered wildlife bones and peacock feet. This operation marks the first arrest of a female smuggler. The guns were recovered from her house,” said Prajesh Kant Jena, the deputy director of PTR.

All the arrested people have been booked under sections of the WildLife (Protection) Act, 1972, and sent to jail.

On Friday, seven people were arrested with 10.5 kg of pangolin scales at Medininagar in Palamu.

Earlier this week, a snake venom smuggling racket was busted, with the recovery around 1,000 ml of venom and 2.5 kg of pangolin scales from three persons. PTI CORR RPS RBT