Huge ivory seizure in Bangalore
12 September, 2007
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Huge ivory seizure in Bangalore
Bangalore, September 12, 2007:
Ivory worth lakhs of rupees (one lakh = 100,000) was recently recovered from an antique dealer in Bangalore. CNN-IBN Special Investigation Team along with the Karnataka Police unearthed one link in the illegal trade in ivory.
On Monday morning, the teams managed to get a confessional statement out of one of the accused, Murthy.
“I was selling the ivory on someone else's behalf,” he said.
Murthy was arrested by the Karnataka Police's Wildlife cell on Wednesday morning. Just a day before, he was accosted by CNN-IBN special Investigation team and they went undercover in a crowded market of Bangalore.
Once in the market, Murthy offered the team African ivory, crocodile skin and an animal’s horn. He also offered the team elephant tusks. Elephant is a Schedule 1 animal, given the highest protection under the Wildlife protection Act.
The information was sufficient for officers from the Karnataka Police Wildlife cell to move in and arrest Murthy.
“We had information and we conducted the raid. We assume it is worth Rs 3 lakh,” said Venkat Shetty of Karnataka Police’s Wildlife Cell.
The illegal trade in ivory is worth several million rupees in the international market. And the blood on ivory tusks clearly shows the elephant was poached.
Based on footage from CNN-IBN special team, the raid was conducted and the racket busted.
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