GUWAHATI, Aug. 9: The Special Task Force (STF), Assam, arrested two persons and seized two elephant ivory tusks weighing nearly 4 kg in an operation in Tamulpur district, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
In a post on X, Sarma said the operation reflected the state’s “zero tolerance for wildlife crime” and warned that illegal wildlife trafficking would face the full force of the law.
The operation was conducted at Bangalipara on Friday night following inputs about an alleged ivory sale. The seized tusks weighed 2.09 kg and 1.97 kg respectively.
According to preliminary investigation, the accused were allegedly attempting to sell the ivory for around Rs 6 lakh at a negotiated rate of approximately Rs 1.5 lakh per kg.
The STF registered an FIR and handed over the arrested persons and seized ivory to the Forest Department for further legal action.
Officials said the investigation would focus on tracing the wider network allegedly involved in the trafficking of elephant ivory and other wildlife products, including possible inter-state and pan-India links.
