The seized elephant tusks at Udalguri. Image - Northeast Now
The seized elephant tusks at Udalguri. Image - Northeast Now

In a mysterious incident, two bike-borne smugglers dealing in elephant tusks managed to give a slip to sleuths of Customs and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Guwahati, which has created palpable sensation in Udalguri district.

As per report, acting on specific information about deal of elephant tusks in Udalguri district, sleuths of Customs and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Guwahati, in a joint operation laid an ambush in north of Tangla Railway Station at about 2 pm on Sunday.

In the meantime, two bike-borne smugglers were coming from Tamulpur side on the Udalguri-Tamulpur road towards Tangla Railway Station carrying a plastic bag with them.

Also read: 3 Bhutanese arrested for smuggling rhino horn, elephant tusk

But when the sleuths of Customs and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Guwahati, tried to intercept them, they fled the spot leaving behind the bag.

On through searching the bag, six elephant tusks concealed in paddy were found.

The tusks weighing 13 kg were concealed in 17 kg of paddy.

The value of the seized tusks is estimated at around Rs 1.5 crore in the international market.

Meanwhile, official sources informed that the matter is under investigation and efforts are on to nab the smugglers.

Shajid Khan is Northeast Now Correspondent in Udalguri. He can be reached at: [email protected]