In the ongoing probe into the orangutan trafficking case, Range Conservation Force (RCCF) officer Prakash Chand Gogineni revealed that traffickers deliberately avoided national highways and instead used interior village roads to transport the animals.
He explained that highway checks are stringent, while interior routes remain largely unmonitored, making them convenient for smuggling. Authorities are now reviewing CCTV footage along these routes to trace movements.
Gogineni stressed that the case points to a clear international link, as orangutans cannot be locally kept or bred. Investigators suspect the animals may have been trafficked from Myanmar through the Northeast into eastern India, exploiting geographical advantages.
To strengthen the probe, two teams from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) — based in Bhopal and Kolkata — have joined the investigation. Officials said all efforts are underway to identify the international network and take strict action.
