DRI seizes 10 kgs of elephant tusks in West Bengal, 2 held

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested two persons and seized six pieces of ivory collectively weighing about 10 kgs from their possession in West Bengal, an official statement issued today said.

The duo was intercepted near Tenzing Norgey bus stand in Siliguri and six pieces of ivory collectively weighing 9.9 kgs were recovered from them last night, it said.

"Preliminary analysis of the seized tusk indicates that the elephants have been poached very recently. Two persons have been nabbed," the DRI said.

It said interrogation of the two persons has revealed that the ivory was smuggled from Nepal through Panitanki border.

Sections 48 and 49 of the Wild Life Protection (WPA) Act, 1972 prohibits trade or commerce of wild animals or animal articles or trophies.

Further, illegal import of wild life which is in violation of the Wild Life Protection Act automatically becomes a violation of the Customs Act.

This is the third seizure of elephant tusks effected by the DRI this year in north Bengal and Assam region.

The DRI had seized 12.4 kgs of ivory at Siliguri on February 15 and another 5.8 kgs of ivory in Guwahati on May 26 this year.

It had last month seized live exotic birds of foreign-origin smuggled into India from Bangladesh through Indo-Bangla border in Kolkata.

In May, the DRI had seized two Hollock Gibbons (endangered species) and two Palm Civets (endangered species) from Kolkata.

In March this year, the DRI had made a seizure of 214 Indian star tortoise in Kolkata.