Hyderabad, Oct. 5 -- Acting on specific intelligence that a few persons were involved in trading of illegally possessed Pangolin scales, the officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Hyderabad Zonal Unit (HZU) mounted surveillance at Hanamkonda, Telangana and, in a day-long operation on Saturday, apprehended four persons. A total of 6.53 kilograms of scales of Indian Pangolin were recovered from the possession of the said four persons.

Pangolins are poached mainly for international markets in China and Southeast Asia for their scales, which are used as an ingredient in traditional medicines. The Indian Pangolin (Scientific Name: Manis crassicaudata) is listed in Schedule-I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 which st...