Udhagamanalam: After three days of investigations, the forest official team confiscated two large iles weighing around 11kg and arrested four people in the range of Valapady near Mettur in early Friday.
In the interrogation, four people were arrested, the team had learned about illegal hunting networks and illegal trade operating at least 15 districts in the state.
Based on intelligence reports provided by traffic, an NGO that works globally in illegal trade in wildlife and plant, head of forest conservator and head of wildlife Ware Shekhar Kumar Niraj formed a team on August 17 to investigate and raids.
The team arrested four men and grabbed ivory from them.
Niraj told the Toi, “The surprising facts about the trade in illegal wildlife involving ivory and other derivatives of wildlife have indicated a formidable network.” According to him, in the last two-three weeks, more than 10 people were arrested in the case of elephant ivory from various districts in Tamil Nadu.
“Most of the illegal hunting and trade networks have been revealed, with a link from Tamil Nadu to North Bengal, New Delhi, Cochin other than other cities in the country and abroad,” said Niraj.