A woman had smuggled the animal parts from Assam. (Representational)
Kolkata: Officials in Kolkata seized elephant tusks weighing about 12 kilograms and tiger teeth, worth over Rs 1 crore, on Tuesday. Three people have been arrested.
A team of officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence arrested a woman with two pieces of elephant tusk weighing over 4 kilograms. The woman had smuggled the animal parts from Assam and was about to hand over to her husband, the mastermind of the smuggling ring.
"DRI officers busted a syndicate involved in smuggling of elephant tusks and tiger teeth. About 12 kgs of elephant tusks and five pieces of tiger teeth cumulatively valued at 1.147 crore were recovered. Three persons were arrested," a statement from the agency said.
The woman's husband is wanted in various cases of smuggling. He had once tried to smuggle over 48 kgs of elephant tusks and ivory statues, collectively valued at Rs 6 crore, officials said,
He has been, "operating in smuggling of elephant tusks, ivory articles and tiger teeth and other animal parts out of India to various countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar."