In its relentless drive against smuggling of wildlife and animal body parts, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (Kolkata) busted a syndicate involved in smuggling of Elephant tusks and Tiger teeth on Sunday and Monday.

About 12 kilos of Elephant tusks and five pieces of Tiger teeth - cumulatively valued at Rs 1.147 crores - were recovered and seized. Three persons were arrested. The recovery and seizure coincided with the Global Tiger Day.

DRI had learnt that a Kolkata-based syndicate headed by a man called Habibullah is smuggling Elephant tusks, ivory articles, Tiger teeth and other animal parts out of India and to various countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar. The export of animal body parts are prohibited for export under the provisions of Foreign Trade Policy, Customs Act, 1962 read with Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Acting on the intelligence, DRI sleuths intercepted Muslima Begum, second wife of Habibullah on Sunday at Sealdah Railway Station with two pieces of Elephant tusks weighing 4.27 kilograms which she had brought from Assam, concealed inside her side bag, under the instructions of her husband. She was about to hand over the same to her husband at the station itself.

Immediate interrogation of the husband-wife duo and quick follow-up actions by DRI resulted in recovery of one piece of ivory bangle and another ivory piece from the flat of their son-in-law Adil Hussain in Park Circus area along with five pieces of Tiger teeth and 29 pieces of assorted ivory and some mechanical instruments along with Rs 1,48,000 in cash.