DRI seizes exotic birds smuggled from Bangladesh into West Bengal

According to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) statement, the agency has seized a vehicle carrying exotic birds, which had been smuggled from Bangladesh into West Bengal on Thursday.

Acting on a specific input, DRI officials had intercepted a vehicle at a place along Kalyani Expressway and found three red and blue macaws, three eclectus parrots, eight pygmy falcons and seven white ducks, added the statement.

The statement informed that the birds had been found badly crammed up in plastic bags kept in the boot of the car.

These birds were illegally brought into the country from Bangladesh through Indo-Bangla border in North 24 Parganas district, it said.

The probe agency said it immediately contacted the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, West Bengal and also the director of Alipore Zoo, Kolkata.

The DRI had handed over the birds to the zoo.

Earlier in March, the agency had seized 214 Indian star tortoises in Kolkata.

In less than a month back, two hoolock gibbons, an endangered species under the Wild life Protection Act, 1972 and two palm civets, another endangered species, along with a variety of exotic birds, which had been smuggled into the country from Bangladesh had been seized by the DRI.

"There is an urgent need to step up the fight against wild life crime, which has environmental, social and economic impact and a concerted effort is needed by all the law enforcement agencies in combating the same," said the agency.