Smuggling of wildlife parts on the rise in Jhapa

Jhapa, February 3

Smuggling of wildlife parts into India from Jhapa has gone up lately.

However, Jhapa police has not shown interest in checking the illegal activity. Wild animals are being killed in forests of Jhapa and Ilam, especially for their bones and skin.

India Seema Surkshya Bal arrested two Indian nationals in possession of wildlife parts last night. Those arrested are Mohammad Moin, 25 and Bishnu Rajak, 40, said SSB 12 B Battalion Deputy Commander Kumar Sundarm.

SSB personnel seized eight horns of deer from the arrested. The international market value of the seized horns is Rs 20 million.A team of the SSB had seized the horns while they were being taken to India’s Kishanganj via Dighalbaink border point. The arrested admitted that they had purchased the horns in Nepal.  Jhapa Rural Municipality has Armed Police Force and Nepal Police manning the border with India. But, they have shown no interest in checking smuggling of animal parts.

Jhapa APF SP Ramesh Subedi expressed ignorance about the seizure of deer horns. Subedi pledged to tighten security check at the border point.

DSP Jitendra Kumar Basnet at District Police Office, Jhapa, said he had no knowledge about the incident.