Assam : Endangered amimals smuggled from Myanmar seized in Assam

On Thursday, the Assam police seized 30 exotic animals from two SUVs with Delhi registrations that had crossed the Mizoram-Myanmar border on their way to Siliguri in northern West Bengal.

This was Assam's largest-ever seizure of illegally imported exotic animals. There are two joeys, or baby wallabies, 19 chimps and monkeys, 13 small turtles, three giant turtles, and two exotic birds within the list of creatures.

“The vehicles were on their way to Delhi from the Myanmar border in Mizoram and the SUVs had army stickers on them,” said Kamrup superintendent of police Hitesh Roy.

The exact number of animals being trafficked and their sorts will be known after all the collected species that were stored in crates have been identified, according to forest officials.

“We are  trying to verify what species of animals were seized,” said Sunny Deo Choudhury, divisional forest officer, North Kamrup division.

Earlier, five exotic monkeys, including endangered  wallaby and tufted capuchin, were saved from alleged smugglers by Kamrup forest rangers in April of this year.

One individual from Maharashtra was arrested who was driving the SUV in which the animals were found.