24 protected Ibex seized in Manipur, two held in cross-border wildlife smuggling bust

Security forces in Manipur's Tengnoupal intercepted a vehicle carrying 24 smuggled Ibex, an exotic species of wild mountain goats, allegedly being transported illegally from Myanmar into Manipur. Two persons have been arrested in connection with the case.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, security personnel stopped a four-wheeler DI vehicle (Registration No. MN-02B-8290) on February 22 while it was en route towards Pallel. Upon inspection, officials discovered 24 live Ibex concealed inside the vehicle. The animals are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, and their illegal transportation constitutes a serious offence.

The driver of the vehicle, identified as Md Kalim (35) of Mayai Leikai in Kakching district, and the occupant, Md Sabir Khan (19) of Phundrei in Thoubal district, were immediately taken into custody. Officials said the duo failed to produce any valid documentation for transporting the protected species.

Preliminary investigations suggest the animals were being smuggled across the porous Indo-Myanmar border, a route increasingly used for illegal wildlife trade. Security agencies have heightened surveillance in border districts of Manipur in recent months amid growing concerns over trafficking of exotic and endangered species.

The arrested individuals, along with the seized Ibex and the vehicle used in the crime, have been handed over to the Forest Department for further legal proceedings. Authorities are now probing the wider network behind the smuggling attempt and are examining whether the consignment was part of an organised interstate or international wildlife trafficking racket.