6 smugglers nabbed for illegal trade of pangolin scale in Odisha

Athagarh: Busting a wildlife trafficking racket, police arrested six smugglers from Suniamuha reserve forest under Khuntuni range of Athgarh forest division on charges of illegal trade of pangolin scales.

Besides local middlemen, smugglers from outside the state as well as the country were involved in the racket. The smugglers usually transport the wildlife items to Kolkata that are usually sold in China and Myanmar.

The arrested are Akash Behera of Suniamuha under Khuntuni police station, Satia Behera of Dabora under Khuntuni police station, Raju Dehury and Prasant Sethy of  Gurudijhatia in Athagarh, Dhruba Charan Sahoo of Nuapatana and Bibhuti Sahoo of Ratagarh in Naraj.