Ivory seized; 5 wildlife smugglers held

India: Baleswar forest officials conducted a raid at and seized three elephant tusks and arrested five persons in this connection on Saturday. The arrested accused were identified  as Banamali Sethi  of village  Mahulagadia  under Oupada block, Sudarshan Mahara and  Ajay Muduli of Khaira block  in Baleswar district, Baburam Prusty of Jamadeipur and Naatabara Das  of Agarpada in Bhadrak district.

All the accused were forwarded  to court on Monday after being booked under the Wildlife Protection Act , said DFO Bimal Prasanna Acharya .According to  reports, based on intelligence inputs that was a deal was being struck to sell the tusks, the forest officials  conducted a raid with the help of local police.

They besides seizing the ivories also confiscated the wildlife smugglers bikes and cell-phones, said Acharya. Further investigation was on to ascertain the involvement of others in the racket.

(Source: The Daily Pioneer)