Guwahati: On Wednesday, the Assam Police foiled four cattle smuggling attempts and rescued a total of 57 cattle heads in Khetri on the outskirts of Guwahati.
A team from the East Guwahati Police District (EGPD), based in the Khetri police station, intercepted three trucks and a pickup van on National Highway 37 in four separate operations.
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The cattle were rescued, and nine alleged cattle smugglers were arrested.
The cattle were reportedly being smuggled to neighbouring Meghalaya.
The Khetri police are now investigating the case to determine the origin and final destination of the smuggling attempt.
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Cattle smuggling has become a regular occurrence in Assam, with the state police arresting several alleged cattle smugglers and rescuing thousands of cattle heads from various parts of the state in recent years.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed the state assembly earlier this year that over 13,000 cattle heads were rescued and 1,326 alleged cattle smugglers were arrested in 2022 from various districts of the state.
The police also seized a total of 612 vehicles used for cattle smuggling.
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Most of the cases were reported from the Dhubri district, with 617 such cases being reported from the district.
The cattle are often brought from various parts of the state and finally smuggled to Bangladesh through the porous borders of Assam and Meghalaya.
An international cattle smuggling racket is reportedly involved in the trade.
Although the police frequently apprehend the henchmen, the kingpins of the racket evade arrest.