Maharashtra: To nab pangolin traffickers, forest dept sets up network of informants

Written by Chandan Haygunde
, Sushant Kulkarni
| Pune |

Published: September 1, 2020 12:55:51 am

In June this year, after seeing an advertisement on social media about the sale of pangolins, the Wildlife Crime Control Board, Mumbai, had initiated action, leading to the arrest of seven persons from Biloli in Nanded district.Multiple instances of pangolin seizures in the recent past indicate the involvement of criminal networks in trapping and smuggling of the endangered animal.
Forest department officials arrested six persons on Sunday, including two from Pune, following the recovery of a pangolin from some of the accused, who were nabbed at Wele village in Wai tehsil of Satara district a day before. All of them have been booked under sections of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
They were produced before a court in Satara on Monday.
Range Forest Officer Sachin Dombale, who is investigating the case, said, “The court remanded the six accused to the custody of the forest department for three days. During primary investigation, the accused said they got the pangolin from the side of a canal in Khandala area. The two accused from Pune were looking for a customer who will buy the pangolin. Further investigation is on. There is a
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