12 held for smuggling pangolin scales
Gang killed 5 pangolins in Dammapet forest, says officer
Forest officials seized a large quantity of pangolin scales and arrested 12 persons over the weekend, following an investigation. The pangolin scales are said to have good demand in China.
Acting on reliable information, a team lead by forest officials of Kinnerasani wildlife sanctuary recovered 10 pangolin scales wrapped in a polythene cover from a person near Kothagudem.
The accused, Badavth Ravi, a resident of Kothagudem, said he had purchased these scales from a person in Bhadrachalam for `10,000 and was going to Chandrapur to search for a buyer when he was arrested.
He confessed that five pangolin scales were available with one Shaik Rafi from Guntur who along with Ramchander Karmakar from the city and Soma Mani Prasad were planning to sell them in Hyderabad.
Acting on this information, a team coordinated by forest divisional officer, Kothagudem, Appaiah, and forest divisional officer, wildlife management, Kinnerasani, was sent from Kothagudem and in coordinated with district forest officer, vigilance, Ramana Reddy, took the trio into custody. During the interrogation, they revealed that pangolin scales were in demand in the market.
They confessed that the scales were available with one Kompelli Nagaraju, of Paloncha, who was arrested on Sunday. He confessed that he was in possession of 1.4 kgs of pangolin scales and an auto trolley to transport them. The pangolin was killed in the Tirumalkunta reserve forest.
A total of 12 persons have been arrested and remanded in Khammam sub-jail by forest reserve officer Srinivas Rao. Officials recovered a total of 4 kg of pangolin scales and said that efforts were on to nab three remaining accused in the case. Kothagudem district forest officer Ranjit Naik said that the gang was employing Adivasis and collecting pangolin scales. It is suspected that the gang had killed five pangolins in Dammapet forest.
It is said that the pangolin scales are smuggled to China overland via Bihar, Manipur, Burma and Nepal. The pangolin scales are priced at `1 lakh to `1.5 lakh in China and they are used in producing traditional medicines.