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Five held for smuggling 12 kg ivory in Kozhikode
The Hindu reports that a flying squad of the Forest department arrested five men on Sunday for allegedly smuggling about 12 kg of ivory. The arrests followed a tip-off to the Forest…
The Story in Brief
The Hindu reports that a flying squad of the Forest department arrested five men on Sunday for allegedly smuggling about 12 kg of ivory. The arrests followed a tip-off to the Forest Intelligence Wing. The squad intercepted the men near a bridge at Kakkodi as they were heading to sell the smuggled ivory.
The accused, Dilshad, Fareed, Vincent, Afeel and Mohammed Rifan, hail from Kozhikode, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. Forest department sources say they had colluded with similar gangs in other parts of the state. A team from the Thamarassery range office assisted in the operation.
The Indian Opinion
A bust that catches five men and 12 kg of ivory may look like a win, but it raises an uncomfortable question: who were they selling to? The lazy narrative paints this as effective policing by the Forest department. The hard truth is that such hauls rarely touch the kingpins or the international syndicates that finance the slaughter. The real test will come when investigators trace the supply chain back to the poachers and the buyers. Will the accused name their handlers in court?
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 1 sources.
