Kingpin of transnational reptile smuggling racket arrested from Kanpur: Environment Ministry

New Delhi, Mar 9 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force, in a coordinated operation with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, has arrested Tarak Nath Ghosh, the kingpin of a reptile smuggling racket from Kanpur, officials said on Monday.

The accused, wanted in three cases of transnational illegal trade in turtles and gharials registered in Madhya Pradesh, had been absconding for eight years.

Arrest warrants had been issued against him by three different courts.

"Ghosh's syndicate is spread across several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and West Bengal. He is also suspected to have a network outside India, including in Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar and Singapore," an official statement by the Ministry of Environment said.

The accused will be produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri on Monday.

"Police or forest custody remand will be sought to obtain further information and intelligence about his alleged network," the statement said. PTI GJS GJS DV DV