Elephant tusks seized, attempt to smuggle animal parts foiled; 3 held :125kg of cannabis seized from a pick-up van in Cooch Behar

Sources said foresters of the Ambari forest range of the division had come to know that a group of smugglers had assembled in Champasari, a locality in the northern parts of Siliguri, and were trying to sell elephant tusks

The elephant tusks seized from Siliguri on Friday: Sourced by the Telegraph

TT Correspondent, Siliguri, 10.12.23 : Foresters in the Baikunthapur forest division on the outskirts of Siliguri foiled an attempt to smuggle animal parts and recovered elephant tusks late on Friday evening and arrested three persons.

Sources said foresters of the Ambari forest range of the division had come to know that a group of smugglers had assembled in Champasari, a locality in the northern parts of Siliguri, and were trying to sell elephant tusks.

“Posing as potential buyers, we contacted them and finalised a deal of Rs 3 lakh for 1kg of tusk. We reached the spot and were able to arrest three persons with two pieces of tusks,” said Alamgir Haque, the range officer.

The pieces together weigh over 2kg. Among those who were arrested, two are from other states while the third is a local.

“We suspect some more people were with them and fled during the raid,” said a forester.

Police seize 125kg of cannabis from a pick-up van in Cooch Behar

Dyutiman Bhattacharya, the superintendent of police of Cooch Behar, said a team of Pundibari police had intercepted a pick-up van on NH10 in the Joggonarayaner Kuthi area

TT, Cooch Behar,  09.12.23, : Police seized around 125kg of cannabis which was concealed under vegetables in a pick-up van on Thursday afternoon.

The van was impounded but the driver fled.

Dyutiman Bhattacharya, the superintendent of police of Cooch Behar, said a team of Pundibari police had intercepted a pick-up van on NH10 in the Joggonarayaner Kuthi area.

“The vehicle was loaded with bitter gourd and cucumber. As our men searched it, they found the suspected narcotics wrapped in brown-coloured packets under the vegetables. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act,” he said.

Fire at fair

A blaze occurred at the ongoing Raas Mela at the Raasmela Ground in Cooch Behar on Friday afternoon and gutted a tent pitched in the area.

Sources said locals saw smoke emanating from a tent and soon, flames could be seen. They informed the firemen and soon, a fire engine from the camp that was set up in the fair, reached the spot. It controlled the flames from spreading further and doused it. Fire officials have initiated a probe to ascertain the cause of the fire.

Cattle seized

The BSF posted at the India-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar seized 52 cattle on Friday. Those were brought to a village near the border and were supposed to be smuggled to Bangladesh.

Sources in the Guwahati Frontier of the BSF said the troops, which are posted under Gopalpur sector, reached Chengerkutti West village in Khalishmari under Sitalkuchi police station of the district. They found and seized the cattle.

Courtesy & source- The Telegraph

https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/siliguri-elephant-tusks-seized-attempt-to-smuggle-animal-parts-foiled-3-held/cid/1985841