B’luru: DRI officers intercept illegal elephant tusk trade, arrest 7

PTI, Mar 7, 2024, 9:30 AM IST

Directorate of Revenue (DRI) officers have intercepted illegal elephant tusk trade in Bengaluru, leading to the arrest of seven persons, the Finance Ministry said on Wednesday.

Two elephant tusks, weighing 6.8 kg, were recovered and seized as per Section 50 of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA),1972. Seven individuals have been arrested, a finance ministry release said.

With the recent amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act effective from April 1, 2023, DRI officers have been granted enhanced powers to clamp down on the domestic illegal wildlife trade.

Leveraging these new provisions, DRI officers are proactively engaged in operations to intercept illicitly traded wildlife items.

In the fiscal year 2023-2024 alone, DRI units across India conducted six successful seizures of elephant tusks, collectively weighing 57.5 kilogrammes.

These operations were conducted in Chennai, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kolkata, and Bengaluru, further demonstrating DRI’s unwavering commitment to combating wildlife trafficking, the statement added