In a significant crackdown on wildlife trafficking, the Armed Police Force (APF) apprehended four individuals in Sunsari district while they were allegedly negotiating the sale of a suspected rhino horn. The operation took place on the evening of April 16 near the eastern gate of Barju Lake in Barju Rural Municipality-6.
Acting on precise intelligence regarding an illegal trade deal, a specialized team from the APF No. 1 Barah Bahini Headquarters was deployed to the site. According to APF Spokesperson Deputy Inspector General Bishnu Prasad Bhatta, the suspects were caught in the middle of a bargaining session involving the prohibited wildlife part.
The detained individuals have been identified as 39-year-old Rajesh Kumar Urau and 31-year-old Jivan Chaudhary from Chimadi, 33-year-old Rabin Kumar Yadav from Amahibela, and 47-year-old Narayan Prasad Ghimire from Morang. Their arrest marks a localized blow to networks seeking to profit from endangered species parts.
In addition to the suspected horn, law enforcement seized two motorcycles, four mobile phones, and approximately six thousand rupees in cash. The suspects and the confiscated evidence have been handed over to the District Forest Office in Inaruwa for detailed forensic testing of the object and further legal proceedings.
The outcome of the investigation at the forest office will determine the authenticity of the horn and the subsequent severity of the charges filed against the group.
