BHUBANESWAR: Information on pangolin trafficking will fetch individuals a cash reward of Rs 10,000 without disclosure of their identity. It was announced by the Forest department on Sunday. Athagarh Division Forest Officer (DFO) Sasmita Lenka said the decision was taken to prevent pangolin smuggling in the division. The Forest division has also circulated posters in this regard in villages under its jurisdiction.
On Sunday, two persons were held in the division in connection with the smuggling racket. With this, total number of arrested persons involved in the illegal nexus has reached 14. Forest officials in Athagarh had also busted a pangolin trafficking racket recently, which was operating online and is suspected to have inter-state and international link.
A team of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) which is now investigating the link of the syndicate had taken the accused persons in remand for a day. Sources said the team has managed to crack the code the persons were using for smuggling pangolin scale online. The accused were using the code of the currency note to indicate the weight of the mammal as well as timing of the video.
Lenka said efforts are on to nab other accused in the racket. "We have prepared a criminal profile of the accused who are still at large and will send it to all police stations. Their profiles will be made public. Persons who help nabbing them will be rewarded with Rs 10,000," she added.