GUWAHATI: On Sunday night, three people were stopped by Assam police on the national route 31 in Rangia, in the Kamrup district, and two tusks were found on them. The three suspects have been taken into custody.
According to the forest department, the suspects, Dhruba Deka (24), Cheeranjib Bezbaruah (19), and Kishor Bora (24), were travelling from Changsari to Rangia in two motorcycles.
Dhiraj Das, a forest beat officer and an investigator for the North Kamrup forest division, spoke to the media. "The suspects were tasked with delivering the ivory tusks to a stranger in Rangia whom they did not directly know.
They had previously been solicited by two people in Nalbari to provide the ivory tusks in exchange for Rs 30,000."
Along with the ivory teeth, the police also seized two motorcycles and two cell phones. The Rangia Police turned the inquiry up to the forest department.
The youngsters who were arrested are currently being questioned about the incident.
The forest department spoke with the media and said: "With ivory teeth, three teenagers have been restrained. Currently, the situation is being looked into."
Earlier this year, Assam police and the state forest department collaborated to apprehend another two traffickers in Kamrup district who were carrying six kilogrammes of elephant tusks.
According to investigators, the pair had up to nine elephant tusks in their possession.
The two smugglers who were apprehended have been named Edison Nongtri and Darishan Nonrum, both of whom are from Meghalaya's Ribhoi area.
According to the police, the pair had also made an attempt to flee but had been unsuccessful and had been turned over to Palashbari police station.
The search for more connections is currently underway.
Humans use tusks to make ivory, which is used in jewellery and antiques.
The United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has placed stringent restrictions on the trade of ivory (CITES).
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