Threat to wildlife: Wildlife trafficker apprehended with illegal animal parts; Ongoing efforts to dismantle regional smuggling routes intensify

Dibrugarh: Forest authorities arrested a suspected wildlife smuggler from Halowating in Assam’s Sivasagar district near the Assam-Nagaland border on Saturday morning and seized leopard skin, tiger bones and pangolin scales allegedly meant for illegal trade.The accused was identified as Imchil Liba Ao, described by officials as a hunter from Nagaland. The operation was jointly conducted by the Halowating Forest Range and Sivasagar Forest Range based on intelligence inputs.Acting on a tip-off, forest officials intercepted Ao while he was passing through Amguri Tea Estate, officials said. Two leopard skins, tiger bones, teeth and claws, pangolin scales and other wildlife-related items were recovered from his possession.“We received credible information about the movement of wildlife contraband through this route. Our teams successfully intercepted one of the accused,” said a forest official involved in the operation.Two other alleged members of the smuggling racket escaped during the operation, officials said, adding that efforts were underway to identify and apprehend them.During initial interrogation, Ao provided information about the alleged route and network, officials said. “The accused told us that the parts were being brought from Nagaland and were on the way to Imphal and beyond to Nepal via Assam,” the forest official stated.Officials said the seized wildlife body parts were being transported from Tuli in Nagaland and were intended for illegal markets where they fetch high prices. “The seized wildlife body parts were meant to be sold through a network that extends beyond state and national borders. This is part of a larger organised wildlife crime syndicate. We are interrogating the accused thoroughly to get more information about the source, transit routes and final destinations of these wildlife parts. We are also working to identify his accomplices,” the official added.The official said action would be taken under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which provides for imprisonment and fines for wildlife trafficking offences.The Assam-Nagaland border region has been flagged by enforcement agencies as a vulnerable corridor for wildlife trafficking due to difficult terrain, porous borders and proximity to international smuggling routes. Leopard skin, tiger body parts and pangolin scales are among the most sought-after wildlife products in illegal markets, officials said.