MP: Wildlife Trafficking Gang, Involved in Selling of Fake Animal Body Parts Selling, Busted, 2 Held
They were selling the fake teeth and nails claiming them as that of the tigers, charging them Rs 15,000- Rs 20,000 each.
Bhopal: A wildlife trafficking gang involved in selling of fake animal body parts has been busted in a forest in Madhya Pradesh with the arrest of two alleged poachers, officials said on Wednesday.
This was the first time a wildlife trafficking gang was found indulging in selling fake animal body parts.
Teams of forest and police personnel raided a camp set up by a group of alleged poachers in the forest of Padaria Kala under Dindori district in Madhya Pradesh on February nine and seized fake animal body parts such as teeth, nails and private parts along with the hunting materials such as swords, animal traps, electricity wire and pressure bombs, a forest officer of the state tiger strike force said.
“We had initial inputs on the wildlife traffickers camping in the forest. Acting on the inputs, five teams of forest and police personnel raided the camp and seized the fake animal body parts and hunting materials.
All but two people including a minor had escaped by fleeing to the jungle. Interrogation of the two people has led to disclosure about their operation”, Jabalpur wing state tiger strike force chief Rajesh Bhoria said.
According to a forest officer, the interstate wildlife trafficking gang operating in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand were allegedly involved in poaching and wildlife trafficking.
The forest officers however were taken by surprise when they found that the gang was involved in selling fake animal body parts such as teeth and nails, made of plastic, and private parts of animals.
They were selling the fake teeth and nails claiming them as that of the tigers, charging them Rs 15,000- Rs 20,000 each.
The teeth and nails of tigers are used by the tribals for doing black magic.
The gang also hunts the wild pigs for their tails to sell them to the gullible tribals by claiming them to be tiger’s moustaches, sources said.
The fake private parts of the animals are made of flours processed with some chemicals, a forest officer said.
