Revenue Intelligence arrests two for smuggling gibbons, exotic birds from Bangladesh border

Kolkata: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested two men for allegedly smuggling gibbons and some exotic birds into the country from Bangladesh. [caption id=“attachment_4491645” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The smugglers were apprehended near the India-Bangladesh border. Image Credit: Getty Images.[/caption] Acting on inputs, the DRI officials intercepted a car near the India-Bangladesh border in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Thursday. Three cages full of wild animals and 40 exotic birds were found inside the intercepted car, according to a statement issued by the agency. Upon examination, a cage with two partitions was found to contain two hoolock gibbons — endangered species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 — on one side and two palm civets on the other side. The report added that the animals were crammed into the cages. A second cage, containing 15 rosella birds and a third cage containing 27 exotic birds like the nanday conure, peach fronted conure, grass parakeets and the maroon tailed Conure were recovered, the DRI said. Conure birds are typically found in Central and South America and Australia, while rosella birds are found in Australia. The DRI immediately contacted the office of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, West Bengal and also the officials of the Wild Life Crime Control Bureau, Kolkata. The animals were promptly handed over to the care of rescue teams from the Wild Life Crime Control Bureau and the Kolkata Zoo. Two persons have been arrested in this case, the statement said. “There is an urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime, which has an environmental, social and economic impact and a concerted effort is needed from all the law enforcement agencies in combating the same,” it said. Last week, the DRI seized 24 pieces of ivory weighing 5.838 kilograms from Guwahati. In March this year, the DRI made a seizure of 214 Indian star tortoises at Kolkata.