Assam: Pangolin scale smuggling ring busted, four arrested in Dima Hasao

Haflong: The forest department in Dima Hasao, Assam, with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, confiscated around 3 kilograms of pangolin scales and apprehended four suspects linked to an organised smuggling syndicate.

The detained individuals, identified as Forid Ali, Hifjur Rahman Barbhuiya, Imran Hussain Barbhuiya and Rafiqul Islam Barbhuiya, were nabbed during a targeted operation in Assam's Dima Hasao.

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Forest officials claimed that they verified the haul and arrested the suspects based on specific inputs.

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Pangolins, the world's most heavily poached mammals. They are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, which outright bans commerce in their scales or any derivatives.

Officials said that they have begun an investigation into the case and the possible connection of the suspects with the international grey market.

It may be mentioned that pangolins are ruthlessly poached and smuggled over a million in the past two decades, primarily for their keratin scales, prized in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine.

Some believe these scales cure for ailments like arthritis and cancer, fetching up to $3,500 per kilogram despite being chemically identical to human fingernails.

Their meat is a luxury status symbol in high-end Asian banquets, often costing over $1,000 per animal, while scales are also fashioned into fashion items, boots, bags, and ritual charms in parts of Africa.

Small, nocturnal, and able to roll into a tight ball, pangolins are easy prey and simple to conceal in suitcases or shipping containers, making them ideal for organised crime networks that exploit weak enforcement, corruption, and porous borders. Sourced mainly from Africa and India (including Assam and Manipur), the trade fuels a brutal supply chain where poachers earn just $5–$10 per animal, while smugglers reap massive profits. All eight pangolin species are now endangered or critically endangered.