BENGALURU: The forest mobile squad on Tuesday morning arrested four people with 1.025kg of pangolin scales, 1kg of Indian soft-shelled turtles and 7kg of Indian Pond Terrapins shells. The arrests were made with the help of Traffic - Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network in the city. All three species are listed under Schedule One of the Wildlife Protect Act 1972.
According to the forest department officials, this is the first biggest seizure this year. “We were shocked when we saw the quantity. These men claimed to be agricultural labourers and came to the city with the haul. They were expecting to fetch Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000,” the forest official said.
The accused are Ravi Kumar and Sanjeevappa, both from Bookapatna; Bove Siddaya from Hindupur; and Manjunath from Gowribidnur. They were arrested at Narsipur village near Nelamangala Town. They had the items in a gunny bag and were waiting for a bus when they were nabbed.
Sources said that the men confessed that the pangolin scales were to be sold for making bags and bullet proof jackets. The turtle and terrapin shells were to be sold to ayurvedic stores for making medicines to ‘cure cancer’ and aphrodisiac.