Port Blair, Feb 19: Acting on a specific intelligence input from a reliable source, the Police team from Central Crime Station consisting of SI M.A. Rasheed, PCs K. Rajendran and Raja Rao intercepted one cargo truck on Feb.17, 2023 at Ferrargunj Junction bearing registration No.AN-01/R-3985 which was coming towards Port Blair from Diglipur. During checking of cargo items loaded in the truck, 33 gunny bags containing 1783.95 Kgs of endangered Trochus Shells were found concealed clandestinely with coconut gunny bags. Truck along with Trochus Shell was seized and the driver of the truck namely C. Siva, S/o Mr. Chitambaram (29 yrs.), R/o Jirkatang, South Andaman and cleaner Rohan Toppo, S/o Mr. Jipta Toppo (27 yrs.), R/o Parnasala, Rangat were detained for violation U/s 50/51 of The Wildlife (Protection) act-1972. Trochus Shells are a protected species which falls under Schedule-II of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022.
The detained persons along with seized articles were handed over to Range Officer, Protection Range, WildLife Division, Haddo for further legal action. Meanwhile, the general public have been requested to inform about any credible information pertaining to any kind of illegal activity on the following telephone numbers- 100, 232586, 233307, 9474290250. The identity of the informer will be kept secret.
