As many as 86 gecko lizards allegedly being smuggled across the Assam-Nagaland border were rescued and two suspected wildlife smugglers were arrested in Assam’s Jorhat district, officials said.
The operation was carried out by a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) team at Bandarchalia, under the jurisdiction of the Mariani Forest Range Office.
The two suspected smugglers were identified as Raju Kaitha, a resident of Namrupia Jungle Block, and Anatu Watsa, a resident of Akahetu village in Nagaland.
According to officials, the duo was intercepted while allegedly attempting to transport the reptiles for illegal trade. The circumstances in which the animals were being transported and their intended destination are now being examined by the authorities.
Following the interception, the DRI team handed over the two accused persons and the rescued gecko lizards to officials of the Mariani Forest Range Office for further action.
Forest officials have since started an investigation to establish the source of the animals and determine where the alleged consignment was headed.
The authorities are also examining the circumstances surrounding the transportation of the reptiles and whether the case is linked to a wider wildlife trafficking network operating along the inter-state border.
The rescue comes amid continued efforts by enforcement agencies and forest authorities to prevent the illegal trafficking of wildlife along the Assam-Nagaland border, which has been identified as a route requiring close monitoring because of movement between the two states.