HT Digital
GUWAHATI, Dec 18: In a significant operation near the Indo-Myanmar border, the Assam Rifles, in collaboration with the Mizoram Forest Department, rescued four De Brazza’s monkeys and arrested a 40-year-old Myanmar national for attempting to smuggle the exotic animals, a press release said on Wednesday.
The joint operation was conducted at Zokhawthar in Mizoram’s East Champhai district, acting on specific intelligence inputs, officials said.
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Assam Rifles personnel laid an ambush in the area and intercepted the accused, identified as Lalchhanhim, who was attempting to traffic the monkeys across the border.
According to a statement by the Assam Rifles, the rescued primates are valued at approximately Rs 60 lakh in the international grey market.
Subsequently, both the accused and the rescued animals have been handed over to the Champhai Forest Department for further investigation and legal proceedings.
The De Brazza’s monkey, a rare and exotic species known for its distinct white beard, is native to Central Africa and is highly sought after in the illegal wildlife trade.
