(IN-CN): Smuggled antlers seized - China-bound consignment confiscated at Moreh

July 22, 2007

Smuggled antlers seized

- China-bound consignment confiscated at Moreh

OUR CORRESPONDENT

*Imphal, July 21: *Troops of the Assam Rifles seized a consignment of deer

antlers bound for China at Moreh yesterday.

Col L.M. Pant, Assam Rifles spokesman, said a patrol party of 24 Assam

Rifles seized eight cartons of deer antlers while the consignment was being

unloaded from a truck at ward number 6 in Moreh yesterday morning.

Laishram Panthoi, 30, a resident of ward 5, was also apprehended and the

truck seized.

The consignment and Panthoi were handed over to the wildlife authorities in

Moreh.

The chief wildlife warden, A. K. Rana, sent two wildlife officials from

Imphal to the border town this morning to fetch the consignment and take

Panthoi into custody .

A source in Imphal said the consignment came from Orissa and was being

transported to China through Myanmar. The arrested person could be a local

linkman.

" There is a great demand in China for deer antlers and animal parts to make

traditional medicine, " a source said. He added that an inter-state smuggling

ring could be behind the racket.

Moreh is a major trade point between India and Myanmar and the porous border

allows smuggling of illegal items.

Though there were reports of violation of the Wildlife Act in Manipur in the

past, this is the first time that such a huge consignment of deer antlers

has been seized. " We do not know the source of the smuggled goods and its

destination. But this is one of the largest consignment of animal parts

seized in Manipur, " the chief wildlife warden said.

He admitted that the forest department could not deploy enough officials in

Moreh to prevent smuggling of endangered species or their body parts.

Wildlife officials in Moreh have been alerted following the seizure.

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