Illegal ivory trade kingpin arrested in Kotagiri

A kingpin of illegal ivory trade was arrested at Kothagiri in the Nilgiris in a joint operation by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and the Forest Department. Based on intelligence gathered by the

A kingpin of illegal ivory trade was arrested at Kothagiri in the Nilgiris in a joint operation by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and the Forest Department. Based on intelligence gathered by the Bureau’s Southern Region (Chennai and Kochi), its sleuths and Forest Department officials from the Kanniykaumari Forest Division had conducted a series of raids, in which they seized several ivory products and arrested three persons. The house of suspected kingpin in the trade, Nagarajan of Tenkasi, was also raided. But he had fled the place. By tracking his call records, it was learnt that he had fled to the Nilgiris. Shekhar Kumar Niraj, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, Tamil Nadu, in consultation with Tilotama Varma, Additional Director, WCCB, and the Regional deputy Director, Southern Region, Kirubasankar immediately formed an investigating team.