Kolkata: The West Bengal Forest Department has recovered elephant tusks valued at around Rs 11 crore, an official said on Sunday, adding that two persons carrying a large quantity of tusks have been arrested in this connection.
The apprehended individuals have been identified as Soleman Khan and Ratan Goyala.
They were at the railway station in Siliguri.
Over 8 kg of elephant tusks were recovered from their possession.
During questioning, both confessed that they smuggled the elephant tusk consignment to Kaziranga in Assam, and they had plans to smuggle the same to China via Nepal.
According to officials, the Siliguri Corridor, which acts as an important gateway for West Bengal to both northeastern as well as to neighbouring Nepal and Bhutan, seems to be increasingly becoming a passage point for wildlife-related products’ smuggling.
(IANS)
