Manipur police close in on million-rupee reptile racket

IMPHAL: The state police are on a manhunt to nab the top ring leaders of a gang of poachers involved in smuggling Tokay Gecko, a rare reptile species, from Manipur to Malaysia. Some members of the gang were arrested recently. These reptiles are in high demand in Malaysia and some other Asian countries because of their reported medicinal value, sources said, adding that a smuggler can easily make up to Rs 20 lakh for a Tokay Gekco weighing 200 grams and measuring 14 inches. With the value for the reptile’s soaring, poachers who targeted other animals have switched focus to Tokays and have been searching for them in the hills, wildlife analysts said.

On Wednesday, Thoubal district police carried out an operation at Thoubal bazaar and arrested five persons travelling in a van with a live Tokay Gekco inside a bag. A weighing device and a measurement tape were also recovered from the five persons, who have been identified as H Deben (40), Ng Shitaljit (34), L Noren (24), S Basanta (42) and B Sunil Sharma (38).

According to the arrested persons, they were told to collect the rare reptile species from Yairipok village in Thoubal district by one Sunil Singh from Imphal after which it would be smuggled to Malaysia. A senior police officer said a manhunt was on to bust the million-rupee reptile business racket. It is learnt that some individuals have begun rearing these reptiles in a clandestine manner at homes.

Thoubal district unit of the People for Animal (PFA) has appealed to all concerned not to indulge in catching and selling of the rare species and instead help protect and conserve them. A large number of animal parts have been seized by the security forces in Chandel district along the state’s border with Myanmar. The forces seized tiger skulls, tiger bones, pangolin shells, deer horns and rhino bones which were being smuggled to south-east Asian countries through the porous Indo-Myanmar border.

One Tokay Gecko Fetches Up To 20L In Some Countries

With the value for the reptile soaring, poachers who targeted other animals have switched focus to Tokays and have been searching for them in the hills, wildlife analysts said