Two people were caught in a hotel in Ujjain with leopard skins and ivory by DRI Nagpur. The wildlife items were seized under the Wildlife Protection Act and the accused were handed over to the forest department
The operation was conducted on the morning of May 4, 2025, following specific intelligence inputs indicating an attempt to sell wildlife articles illegally. (PIC/DRI, Nagpur)
In a significant crackdown on wildlife trafficking, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Nagpur Unit under the Mumbai Zonal Unit, seized two leopard skins — complete with heads — and an ivory item, later identified as a wild boar horn, from two individuals in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
The operation was conducted on the morning of May 4, 2025, following specific intelligence inputs indicating an attempt to sell wildlife articles illegally. Acting swiftly, the DRI team intercepted the suspects at a hotel in Ujjain city and recovered the protected wildlife items from their possession.
After the successful seizure, both the accused and the confiscated items were handed over to the District Forest Division in Ujjain for further investigation under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
Leopards are listed under Schedule I of the Act, offering them the highest level of protection. The trade, sale, purchase, or possession of leopard skins or any part of the animal is strictly prohibited. The ivory, initially reported, was identified as a wild boar horn — also protected under the same legislation.
This is not the first such breakthrough for DRI Nagpur. In January 2025, the unit had seized a leopard skin in Maharashtra’s Akola district and apprehended three individuals involved in that case.
The latest seizure highlights DRI’s ongoing commitment to curbing the illegal trade of endangered species in India. Through an intelligence-driven approach and collaborative efforts with other enforcement agencies, DRI continues to play a key role in enforcing wildlife protection laws and dismantling trafficking networks.
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