AGARTALA: Personnel of the border security force (BSF) in Tripura arrested as many as 18 individuals for allegedly illegally transporting Myanmar-breed cattle.
The arrests and seizure of cattle were made by the BSF from Shiblong near the Tripura-Mizoram interstate border.
The BSF seized 86 cattle heads and arrested 18 people in connection with it.
The incident took place at Shibbari area under the Manu police station at Longtorai valley sub-division in Tripura.
BSF sources said that a team of 105 Battalion of BSF Tripura, closely monitored the tri-junction of Shivbari near Machalibazar in Dhalai district of Tripura
At about 4 am, the cattle-carrying vehicles arrived in the target area.
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The BSF team intercepted 20 vehicles carrying cattle, which were led by a vehicle (Mahindra Scorpio), and nabbed 18 people involved in the illegal transportation of livestock.
During the search and seizure operation, the BSF team recovered 86 livestock that were being transported in vehicles.
A total of 18 vehicles were being used to smuggle these cattle.
A total of 86 cattle were recovered in 18 vehicles.
The estimated market value of the seized cattle is said to be more than Rs 9 crore.
This is the first time in Tripura that such a large number of smuggled cattle have been rescued at once.