Five endangered Capped Langurs rescued from smuggling operation in Ctg, three held
This incident follows a previous seizure on October 30, where police recovered two critically endangered hog badgers from the same area
In a successful operation against wildlife smuggling, police recovered five rare capped langur monkeys in the Baklia area of Chattogram on Friday night.
The operation resulted in the apprehension of three suspected smugglers identified as Md. Salim (53), Salauddin Quader (35), and Nurul Kabir (31).
This incident follows a previous seizure on October 30, where police recovered two critically endangered hog badgers from the same area.
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Police have observed that Chattogram has become a significant transit point for the illegal trade of rare wildlife species, with a substantial portion of these animals being sourced from Ali Kadam and subsequently transported to India via Satkhira and Jessore.
Speaking at a press conference held on Saturday morning, Deputy Commissioner Mostafizur Rahman of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) South Zone revealed, "The capped langurs were initially collected from Ali Kadam and later transported to Cox's Bazar.
The arrested individuals were expected to transfer them from the Shaplapur area in Cox's Bazar to another group in Dhaka." Authorities suspect the detained individuals to be active members of an international wildlife trafficking network.
It was also disclosed during the press conference that one of the individuals arrested, Md. Salim, had previously been apprehended on May 24 by the Banskhali police station in connection with the illegal possession of four hornbill birds.
Subsequently, he was sentenced to six months in prison but was later released on bail.
The rescued monkeys will be handed over to forest department officials, as confirmed in the press conference.
Additionally, authorities have pledged to take legal action against the accused individuals under the provisions of the Wildlife (Preservation and Security) Act of 2012.
This operation underscores the ongoing efforts to combat wildlife smuggling and the commitment to protect endangered species from exploitation.
Report: Mizanur Rahman Yousuf
