SHILLONG, MAY 30: In its drive against smuggling of wildlife and animal body parts and against the forces inimical to the flora, fauna and those degrading the environment of the country, Customs seizes 27.992kgs of Elephant tusks (ivory) on May 29.
One person has been apprehended.
Acting on specific information cultivated regarding illicit ivory trade, the officers of Customs (Preventive) HQ, Shillong rushed to Biswanath Chariali, Assam and in a meticulously planned operation, successfully intercepted one person from whose possession, 4 cut pieces of Tusks (Ivory) of Indian (Asian) Elephant (Elephas maximus) weighing 27.992 kgs were recovered.
Elephant tusks are classified under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA), 1972.
The goods were seized under Section 50 of the WLPA, 1972 (as amended) on 29th May 2024 and the case was handed over to the Wildlife authorities.
Customs acknowledges the active cooperation and assistance of the Biswanath Police and Forest authorities in the case.
With the recent amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act effective from April 1, 2023, Customs officers have been granted enhanced powers to clamp down on the domestic illegal wildlife trade. Leveraging these new provisions, Customs officers are proactively engaged in operations to intercept illicitly traded wildlife items.
In the last one year, the Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive), NER has made three seizures of pangolin scales totally weighing 68.87 kgs, a case of 11.536 kgs of Ambergris (Whale vomit), one case of 360g elephant tusk as well as seizures of exotic species such as Hornbills, Flame bowerbirds and a baby orangutan, which are protected under CITES as well as the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, in operations at Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam.
Customs is committed to combating Wild Life Crime including Cross Border Crime such as trafficking in wild life and wildlife articles and aims to work in close partnership with various other law enforcement agencies in this regard.