Indian pangolin trafficking racket busted in Chhattisgarh, 3 arrested

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Nagpur Regional Unit (NaRU) of the Mumbai Zonal Unit, has busted an illegal wildlife trafficking syndicate involved in the illicit trade of Indian pangolin scales in Jagdalpur city, Chhattisgarh, on April 12, 2026.

During the operation, officials caught three persons for their involvement in the illegal dealing and trading of Indian pangolin scales. They recovered a total of 16.528 kg of pangolin scales from the accused.

The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which affords it the highest degree of legal protection. Authorities have strictly prohibited trade in pangolins and their derivatives under the Act. Acting under its provisions, officials seized the recovered scales.

After completing seizure formalities, the DRI handed over the caught individuals along with the seized scales to the Forest Range Officer, Jagdalpur Range, Chhattisgarh, for further action under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Pangolins face illegal hunting for their meat and scales, which traffickers falsely claim have medicinal value in certain traditional medicine markets and luxury fashion. Sustained international demand continues to drive organised poaching and trafficking syndicates, making pangolins the most trafficked mammals in the world.

With this operation, DRI NaRU has dismantled multiple illicit wildlife trafficking networks since 2025. These include a syndicate operating from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, involved in trafficking leopard skins; a network in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, linked to the killing of a tiger cub and attempts to trade its body parts; a Bhopal-based syndicate trafficking leopard skins; and a network in Pileru, Andhra Pradesh, involved in pangolin scale trafficking.

The agency stated that these sustained enforcement actions reflect its continued vigilance and commitment to wildlife protection. Through close coordination with state forest departments and other enforcement agencies, DRI continues to target and dismantle national and international trafficking networks through intelligence-driven operations under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

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