Guwahati, May 23: Guwahati Police foiled a major wildlife smuggling attempt after rescuing 26 rare Tokay Geckos near Basistha and arresting two alleged smugglers during a late-night operation.
The arrested persons have been identified as Ikramul Hussain, a resident of Nagaon, and Jamiruddin from Barpeta.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the operation was carried out by the Gorchuk Police.
“The Tokay Geckos were brought to Guwahati on a motorcycle from Karbi Anglong and were allegedly being prepared for transportation outside the state through the ISBT area. We intercepted the accused before the animals could be moved further,” a police official said.
Officials said the seized Tokay Geckos carry a high value in the illegal wildlife trade, with each reportedly worth over Rs 10 lakh in the black market.
The total estimated value of the recovered reptiles is believed to be around Rs 3 crore.
To evade detection, the geckos were allegedly concealed inside bamboo tubes in a carefully planned manner.
The incident has raised concern among wildlife authorities and local residents, as trafficking of rare wildlife species is considered a serious offence under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Police have launched a detailed investigation to ascertain whether a larger interstate wildlife trafficking network is linked to the case.
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