Ludhiana, Sept. 20 -- The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted an illegal leopard skin smuggling racket and arrested two suspected traffickers from Chandigarh in connection with the case. The operation was carried out by the DRI's Chandigarh regional unit in coordination with its Ludhiana zonal unit.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, officials laid a trap by posing as potential buyers. The accused, hailing from Jaipur and Udaipur, had reportedly arrived in the city to sell leopard skins, allegedly sourced from Himachal Pradesh. As soon as the traffickers produced the contraband, DRI officers moved in and apprehended them on the spot.

The seized skin was protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the accu...