Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch with the help of Koraput Forest Department officials on Sunday arrested two Wildlife smugglers and seized an alive pangolin from their possession.
STF sources said acting on a tip-off the STF team conducted a raid and arrested the accused near Koraput-Boriguma bypass road under Koraput Sadar police station of the district on Sunday.
The accused were arrested while trying to sell the animal. The pangolin was handed over to the Koraput DFO for its safe custody.
Since 2020, the STF has arrested 57 wildlife smugglers, seized 25 leopard skins, seven deer hide, 13 elephant tusks, 16 kg of pangolin scales and rescued 11 live pangolins, STF sources said. (UNI)
