The Special Task Force (STF) of the Crime Branch apprehended a pangolin trader in Bhubaneswar.
The accused, identified as Swabhiman Nayak from Gochhabada in Boudh district, was caught red-handed while attempting to sell pangolin scales worth lakhs of rupees.
The STF team launched a raid at Master Canteen area in Bhubaneswar, intercepting the illegal transaction before it could be completed. Authorities seized a large quantity of pangolin scales from the accused, who had allegedly transported them from Boudh to the capital city for sale.
Pangolins, protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, are often targeted for their scales, which are falsely believed to have medicinal properties. This arrest marks another step in Odisha’s crackdown on wildlife crimes and illegal animal part trade.
The accused has been taken into custody and further investigation is underway to uncover the network behind the trafficking.
