Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) of Crime Branch busted a pangolin smuggling racket with the arrest of four persons at Ambadiha in Mayurbhanj district on Friday night.
Two pangolins weighing around 13 kg each were recovered from their possession.
Those arrested were identified as Balia Andhara Judia of Ambadiha colony in Udala, Debendra Das of Manudiha in Basta, Janmenjay Naik of Ambadali and Raghunath Behera of Chakradharpur in Kaptipada.
On receiving intelligence input from SP Dr Satyajit Naik, a STF team from Bhubaneswar rushed to a remote village and nabbed the four following raids.
Police sources said that they were making a deal with a procurer to sell these off for Rs 22 lakh.
The accused are being interrogated to find out the extent of the operation, the sources said, adding that a case has been registered at Udala police station under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
