18 Sep 2019


MANGALURU: In what seems to be one of the biggest seizures of ivory in the recent past, forest department officials in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka have seized five pairs of ivory, weighing 51 kg, and arrested three persons in Belthangady taluk. According to officials, the interstate gang was involved in the trade for a long time and ivory was brought from Kerala.

Acting on a tip-off, Forest Mobile Squad of Puttur Forest Division, raided the house in Surya Road in Belthangady taluk on Wednesday. They arrested Abraham, Suresh Babu and Ramesh. One of accused identified as Anwar is absconding. Forest officials were keeping an eye on the illegal trade from the past three months. Officials seized 10 ivories, belonging to five elephants. They said one pair of ivory was about eight years old.

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