KOZHIKODE: Forest Department officials have dealt another severe blow to illegal wildlife trafficking, seizing elephant tusks and arresting two key accused during a targeted raid in Wayanad. The operation comes on the heels of another major ivory bust in Kozhikode last month, pointing to intensified surveillance and joint enforcement actions by forest authorities across the state.
The latest enforcement action unfolded in the Chethalayam region within the Kurichiad Range of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary on Tuesday. Acting on confidential intelligence regarding an illegal ivory sale, a joint team from the Kalpetta Forest Vigilance Range and the Kurichiad Range raided the Casa Horizon homestay situated at Aaram Mile in Chethalayam. During the search, officers recovered two full elephant tusks and an additional tusk piece, along with a vehicle used by the suspects.
Two individuals were taken into custody from the scene. The arrested accused have been identified as 44-year-old Abhilash V G hailing from Chethalayam, and 32-year-old Shemin Francis residing at Kidanganad, Sulthan Bathery.
The successful operation was executed under the leadership of Kalpetta Vigilance Range Forest Officer K Hashif, Beat Forest Officers Vipin Das K C and Sangeeth Karunakaran, and driver Raveendran K K They were supported by Kurichiad Deputy Range Officer Baijunath E, Beat Forest Officer Bineesh P M, and Officer Nisha M L. Following the arrests, Assistant Wildlife Warden Rupesh N stated that follow-up investigations would be intensified to unearth the origin of the poached tusks and trace the broader trafficking network.
This crackdown closely follows a major operation in August, where forest authorities intercepted an ivory smuggling ring in Kozhikode. Acting on secret intelligence gathered by Forest Intelligence in Thiruvananthapuram, a combined force from the Kozhikode Flying Squad and the Thamarassery Range executed a dramatic ambush near the Kakkodi Bridge in Kozhikode, taking five key members of the syndicate along with 12kg weighing tusk into custody. Forest officials noted that Forest Intelligence had been tracking illicit trade routes following reports of renewed ivory smuggling activity across Kerala.
