Two arrested for smuggling ivory worth Rs 1 crore

Darjeeling: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested two persons from New jalpaiguri Railway Station on Thursday night and recovered ivory worth more than Rs 1 crore. Based on a tip off, the DRI sleuths conducted a search operation in the Kamrup Express at NJP station. One Dipali Rongpipi, along with Nazrul Islam, was arrested. The sleuths recovered 10 kg of ivory from their baggage.

"The tusk was being taken from Assam to Kolkata from where it would be taken to Bangladesh. There are others involved in this racket. Search is on for the others involved," stated Trideep Saha, DRI lawyer. Sources stated that the tusk was sourced from Nalbari forest of Assam. As the smugglers could not dispose of the tusk in Assam, they had got in touch with some

international smugglers.

The arrested, who are both residents of Hojai district of Assam, were produced at the ACJM court in Siliguri. Their bail prayer was denied and they have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days.