(IN): India’s largest wildlife trade racket busted

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Message source: Wildlife Protection Society of India <wpsi

 

India's largest wildlife trade racket busted

 

5th December 2007

 

In one of the biggest wildlife cases this decade, the Special Task

Force of the Uttar Pradesh Police with the assistance of the Wildlife

Protection Society of India (WPSI) seized 3 tiger skins and 3 tiger

skeletons in Allahabad on Tuesday, 4 December. Sixteen people were

arrested, including wildlife trader Shabeer Hasan Qureshi who is an

accused in at least 4 major wildlife cases. Qureshi is the prime

accused in the January 2000 Khaga case when 4 tiger skins and a huge

haul of other wildlife products were seized. Three other traders were

arrested along with 2 tiger poachers and 10 women couriers who belong

to the Baheliya community.

 

The case is a landmark for wildlife enforcement as it includes the

arrest of 3 key elements of wildlife crime: traders, poachers and

couriers.

 

" This is a major breakthrough in the fight against wildlife crime in

India, " said Belinda Wright, Executive Director of WPSI. " Qureshi is

the biggest buyer of tiger products in India today. We are delighted

with this case and have nothing but praise for the way in which it was

handled by the Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh Police. They

succeeded by using intelligence-led enforcement which is the only way

to effectively tackle this growing menace. "

 

P Save a tree - please do not print this email unless you really need to.

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WILDLIFE PROTECTION SOCIETY OF INDIA (WPSI)

S-25 Panchsheel Park, New Delhi 110017, India

Tel: (Int+ 91.11) 4163.5920 & 4163.5921

Fax: (Int+ 91.11) 4163.5924

E-mail: wpsi

Website: www.wpsi-india.org

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