A special task force (STF) from Guwahati along with a team from Wildlife Crime Control Bureau's (WCCB) Assam unit on Tuesday apprehended a total of five poachers and seized various contraband wildlife items, informed officials.

As per reports, the operation was carried out based on reliable source inputs regarding poachers in Kaziranga. The joint team from Guwahati reached Kaliabor in the Nagaon district of Assam in order to apprehend the perpetrators.

The joint operation team carried out search operations at various places under Jakhalabandha Police Station and Kaliabor Police Station in Nagaon during which the poachers were held.

Those apprehended were identified by officials as Md Gafar Quresy, aged 24 years, Md Okil Quresy, aged 60 years, Md Safiqul Islam, aged 39 years, all from Jakhalabandha, along with Ujjal Bharali, aged 20 years of Rowta and Aditya Sarma, aged 23 years of Khanapara in Guwahati.

Meanwhile, officials mentioned that during the operation, they were able to seize 12 ivory, two tiger canines, 15 rhino hooves, a deer antler, 1.031 kilograms of pangolin scales, and five mobile phones from their possession.

The apprehended poachers and the recovered and seized items were then handed over to the Jakhalabandha Police by the STF team.

Further legal actions will be initiated against the perpetrators and the investigation will continue, assured officials.

Accordingly, a case was registered vide Jakhalabandha PS case number 122/2023 U/S 9/39/44/48(A)/49(B)/51 of the WLP Act 1972 for initiating legal action.