Manta ray gill plates worth Rs 2.3cr seized in one of Mizoram's biggest wildlife-related hauls

Aizawl, Jul 9 (PTI) Around 210 kg of suspected manta ray gill plates worth an estimated Rs 2.3 crore were seized in Mizoram's Champhai district, in one of the state's biggest wildlife-related hauls, police said on Thursday. A pick-up truck was intercepted by the Special Task Force (STF) of the district police on the night of July 7, and dehydrated manta ray or mobula gill plates concealed in nine bags were recovered, they said. The occupants of the vehicle, Rajiv Hussein Laskar (26) and Jinuk Uddin Laskar (30), both residents of Silchar in Assam, were arrested, they added. The consignment was estimated to be worth around Rs 2.30 crore in the international black market and is believed to be among the largest wildlife contraband seizures ever made in Mizoram, police said in a statement. Gill plates are cartilaginous filtering structures found in the mouths of manta ray fish. Prized in parts of Asia for use in traditional medicine, they have become a lucrative wildlife product, contributing to increased exploitation. As the recovered items belong to species protected under wildlife laws, the seized consignment, vehicle and the two accused have been handed over to the Divisional Forest Officer of Champhai, which shares a border with Myanmar, for scientific examination and legal action, police said. In another major operation, a joint team of the Aizawl District Special Branch (DSB) and the Assam Rifles seized 1.95 kg of methamphetamine valued at Rs 1.60 crore from Lawipu in Aizawl on Monday. One person, identified as Marcus Lalvenpuia (19) -- a resident of Luimawi village in Mamit district, was arrested in connection with the seizure, police said. Meanwhile, a team of the Saitual district police intercepted a truck at the Kualmawi check gate on Wednesday after its driver allegedly attempted to flee during routine checking. The driver, identified as Fulchand Ali Mondal (35) of Assam's Dhubri district, was arrested and 102 grams of heroin worth about Rs 20.4 lakh concealed in nine soap cases inside the vehicle was recovered, the statement said. In separate operations, two Myanmar nationals were arrested with heroin in the state, police said. An SUV heading to Aizawl from Zokhawthar in Champhai district was intercepted on July 7, and 26 grams of heroin concealed inside a pot kept beneath the rear seat was recovered. Lalrinchhana (20), a resident of Khawmawi in Myanmar's Chin state, was arrested from the vehicle, they said. A day earlier, a maxi-cab was intercepted in Zokhawthar and 48 grams of heroin hidden in a sling bag carried by a Myanmar national, identified as Thuanmawia (42) of Tshambhari village in Falam district, was recovered, they added. In another operation on July 5, personnel at the Champhai Khankawn police check gate intercepted a lorry and seized 2,960 kg of dry areca nuts worth Rs 10.36 lakh, suspected to have been illegally imported from Myanmar. PTI CORR SOM