Thane forest dept busts smuggling racket, Hyd man held

Thane forest officials have arrested a pet shop owner in Hyderabad for allegedly smuggling and selling protected species of birds and animals, an official said on Friday. Shaikh Abdul Nabi alias Parvez Khan was arrested on Tuesday following a raid at his shop at Mistriganj in Hyderabad, where officials seized 16 bay weavers and seven scaly breasted munias, Thane range forester Narendra Muthe said.

Khan is the main accused in the racket that came to light on December 10 when forest officials detained Mohammad Khalil Riaz Ahmed alias Jayad Khan, who was traveling with smuggled birds and animals in Coimbatore-LTT Express, he said. Jayad was found carrying four Indian star tortoises, three falcons, a black-shouldered kite and a Eurasian eagle- owl, in cardboard boxes, Muthe said.

On interrogation, Jayad revealed that he was selling them to the two persons in Mumbai, who were subsequently arrested, the official added. As many as 47 protected species of birds and seven animals have been seized in the racket so far, he said.

Cases have been registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the Protection of Wildlife Act of 1972, he added..