Seizure of Indian Pangolin Scales Valued at Rs 64 Lakh in Mizoram
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Synopsis
In a recent operation, the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Forest Department seized 64 kg of Indian pangolin scales, valued at Rs 64 lakh, and arrested two smugglers in Champhai district. This highlights ongoing wildlife trafficking issues along the India-Myanmar border.
Key Takeaways
- 64 kg of pangolin scales seized
- Valued at Rs 64 lakh
- Two smugglers arrested
- Operation conducted near Zokhawthar
- Champhai district is a smuggling hotspot
Aizawl, March 17 (NationPress) The Assam Rifles, in collaboration with Mizoram Forest Department officials, successfully seized 64 kg of Indian pangolin scales, valued at Rs 64 lakh, in the state, thwarting an attempt to smuggle them out and apprehending two smugglers, authorities reported on Monday.
A spokesperson for the defense stated that the joint operation took place near Crossing Point Three, Zokhawthar, in Champhai district on Sunday, resulting in the recovery of the scales from the Indian pangolin (Manis Crassicaudata) and the arrest of two suspects.
Acting on specific intelligence, an ambush was executed by the paramilitary troops alongside Forest Department officials at Zokhawthar along the India-Myanmar border.
During the operation, the team intercepted two individuals who were attempting to smuggle the pangolin scales, packed in five cartons, into neighboring Myanmar. The suspects were ordered to halt, and a search was conducted with the presence of two independent witnesses and Forest Department officials.
The arrested individuals were identified as Rosiamliana, 40, and Nazarene Thanga, 31, both from Zokhawthar. The confiscated wildlife contraband and the suspects were subsequently handed over to the Forest Department for further investigation and legal action.
The Champhai district is notorious for being a hotspot for smuggling diverse goods including drugs, foreign cigarettes, arms, and exotic animals along its unfenced border with Myanmar. The Chin state in Myanmar facilitates rampant drug smuggling across six districts in Mizoram—Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip. Myanmar, sharing a 1,643 km unfenced border with four northeastern states—Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram (510 km)—is a crucial transit point for drugs, particularly heroin and methamphetamine tablets entering India.
