Four Arrested in Chembur for Illegal Elephant Tusks Trade
Police Action Against Wildlife Trafficking
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Chembur, April 25: Authorities in Chembur have apprehended four individuals suspected of attempting to sell elephant tusks, violating wildlife protection laws. This operation was executed by the Crime Detection Unit following intelligence about illegal wildlife trade activities.
The suspects have been named as Akash Ashok Avhad (28), Sandip Randhir Bidlan (33), Shashank Chandrashekhar Ranjankar (38), and Dinesh Rammanohar Agnivanshi (40).
According to police reports, a sting operation was initiated on April 22 at a hotel located on RC Marg in Chembur, based on specific intelligence. Informants were directed to act as potential buyers to facilitate a deal with the suspects. A room was reserved at a nearby lodging where the suspects agreed to deliver the tusks.
Upon receiving a signal from the informants, law enforcement executed a raid at the hotel. Inside the room, they discovered four individuals along with two objects resembling ivory tusks placed on the bed.
Officials from the Maharashtra Forest Department were summoned to the scene and preliminarily confirmed that the confiscated items were authentic elephant tusks. The suspects reportedly intended to sell the tusks for around Rs 3.5 crore.
The confiscated items included two elephant tusks weighing approximately 11 kg and 20.6 kg, along with bags and packing materials used for their transport. Additionally, four mobile phones belonging to the suspects were recovered.
All items were duly seized and sealed according to legal protocols. The suspects were taken into custody and transported to the police station for further legal proceedings.
A case has been filed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, including Sections 9, 39, 44, 48, 50, and 51. Ongoing investigations aim to trace the origin of the tusks and identify other members involved in the wildlife trafficking network.
Earlier in February, the Poojappura police initiated an inquiry into the alleged theft of two elephant tusks valued at ₹2 crore from the Pangode Military Station in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, which was suspected to be linked to a DJ party held at the location.