Pune and Nagpur Customs Teams Bust Tiger Skin Smuggling Ring in Jalgaon, Six Arrested (Watch Video)

In a joint operation on the morning of July 26, 2024, Pune and Nagpur Customs officials conducted a successful search and seizure at Bhusawal Road, Jalgaon, following specific intelligence about illegal wildlife trade. The operation led to the arrest of six individuals, including two women. The operation resulted in the seizure of one adult Tiger skin under Section 50 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

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Maharashtra: The Pune Customs Department dismantled a major tiger skin trafficking racket, seizing a tiger skin worth Rs 8 crore. The skin was traced to a gang led by Rahim Rafiq, with six individuals detained. A 4-5-year-old tigress, was valued at Rs 5 crore in the international… pic.twitter.com/2HSfQycW6y

— IANS (@ians_india) July 29, 2024

The arrested accused have been identified as  Ajvar Sujat Bhosale (35 yrs),  Rahim Pardhi (45 yrs), Teva Bai Pardhi (40 yrs), Kakana Bai (30 yrs),  Nadim Shaikh (26 yrs), Mohammad Athar (58 yrs). One of the apprehended individuals has been identified as the primary poacher involved in the killing of the tiger. The poachers attempted to conceal and dispose of the tiger skin by having one of the woman wrap the 11-foot skin under her saree. The primary investigation led the team to the crime scene where the tiger was skinned deep in the forest in Madhya Pradesh by the arrested individuals. These skilled poachers identified a tiger kill which was a Nilgai inside the Jalgaon division forest, the accused allegedly poisoned the carcass of the kill and waited for the tiger to return to feed on the poisoned carcass. Later when the Tiger fed on the poisoned carcass it felt unconscious. Later the accused allegedly killed the Tiger by drowning it in a nearby waterbody and then skinned it and buried the bones and the remains in the jungle. 

All six individuals have been handed over to the jurisdictional forest department and the seized tiger skin for further investigation. This remarkable case marks one of the first instances where the Customs teams from Pune and Nagpur, typically found at ports and border points, conducted an on-ground investigation leading to a significant wildlife crime bust at the source. Notably, this team of officers of Pune Customs had been previously involved in the seizure of a leopard skin less than six months ago and a tiger trophy less than a month ago.

The Pune Customs Department also seized a Tiger trophy and a Leopard skin used as a Trophy which is registered under the name of a royal family in Madhya Pradesh. The trophy worth almost Rupees 5 crores was illegally sold and the accused planned to sell it further to a buyer in Dubai. 

Pune Customs Department Commissioner Yashodhan Wanage while talking to LokmatTimes.Com said, " We received an information that a tiger skin was smuggled by some poachers. Further probe revealed that it was 50 days old skin of a fully grown tigress with its nails and teeth intact. The main poacher Rahim Pardhi is a habitual offender of wildlife offences and was under surveillance for attempting to sell the tiger trophy which led us to the illegal smuggling of the tiger skin. Six accused including two female accused have been arrested and further probe is underway."