DRI Nagpur seizes leopard skin trophy in Bhopal; 3 arrested in wildlife smuggling bust

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], November 8 (ANI): In a major strike against the illegal wildlife trade, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Nagpur Regional Unit, under the Mumbai Zonal Unit, seized one leopard skin with head (in trophy form) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
According to the release, acting on specific intelligence, officers of the DRI Nagpur Unit intercepted three individuals at a hotel in Bhopal. The operation led to the recovery of the leopard skin trophy. Leopards are listed in Schedule I of the Act, prohibiting the trade, sale, purchase, or possession of their skins or parts.
The seized item and three apprehended individuals were handed over to the Forest Division, Bhopal, for further necessary action under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as stated in the release.
This operation adds to DRI Mumbai's past track record in combating wildlife crime. In May 2025, DRI seized two leopard skins (in trophy form) and one ivory (wild boar tooth) in Ujjain, Maharashtra.
Similarly, in July 2025, it intercepted six individuals involved in the killing of a tiger cub by electrocution at Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, recovering nine tiger nails, 61 tiger bones, and the cub's partially decomposed carcass. In August 2025, two leopard skins were seized in Rayagada, Orissa, with the arrest of four persons.
These sustained operations underscore the DRI's unwavering commitment to protecting India's rich and diverse wildlife from poaching and illegal trade.
Through close coordination with state forest departments and other enforcement agencies, the DRI continues to dismantle national and international trafficking networks through precise, intelligence-driven enforcement under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. (ANI)