Siliguri, 06 October (H.S.) : In a significant crackdown on wildlife smuggling and illicit arms possession, a team from the Sukna Range of the Forest Department intercepted and arrested a man on the late night of October 5 in the Khaprail area near Siliguri, recovering Pangolin scales and firearms from his possession.

The arrested individual has been identified as Dilip Darjee, a resident of the Phulbari area adjacent to Siliguri.

According to an official press release issued by the Sukna Range authorities on Tuesday, the operation was executed based on precise intelligence inputs regarding a suspected contraband transaction. During the search, enforcement personnel recovered two and a half kilograms of Pangolin scales, a firearm, and three rounds of live ammunition from Darjee.

On Tuesday, the accused was produced before the Kurseong court. Authorities have registered cases against him under the stringent provisions of the Arms Act and the Wildlife Protection Act. The court rejected his bail plea and remanded him to judicial custody.

Meanwhile, Forest Department officials have launched a comprehensive investigation to uncover the broader cross-border wildlife trafficking network and trace the source of the recovered firearms.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh