Animal parts including musk deer pods seized in Guwahati, 3 arrested
The animal parts were seized during three different raids at separate locations in a joint operation by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and Assam forest department.
Nearly 50 kg of sea fans and a large quantity of other wildlife parts including porcupine quills, musk deer pods were seized by authorities in Guwahati on Wednesday.
The animal parts were seized during three different raids at separate locations in a joint operation by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and Assam forest department. Three persons involved in the racket were arrested.
Besides the sea fans, 1.5 kg of porcupine quills, 14 musk deer pods, parts of monitor lizards etc. were seized in the raids.
“Illegal trade of such precious resources has always been under the scanner of this government and we are committed to eliminate such evil acts from Assam,” forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya tweeted on Thursday.
Sea fans are a type of soft coral found in warm waters around reefs. Sea fans are colonial animals that have a branching structure that is covered by soft tissue.
According to forest officials, this is the first time, parts of marine animals have been seized in the state in such large quantity.