Mumbai: In a major action against illegal wildlife trade, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Nagpur Regional Unit, under the Mumbai Zonal Unit, has seized a leopard skin with its head mounted as a trophy during a raid in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Three persons have been detained in connection with the seizure, officials said on Saturday.
Accused Intercepted at Hotel, Trophy Seized
Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted the accused at a hotel in Bhopal and recovered the leopard skin trophy from their possession. The accused and the seized material have been handed over to the Bhopal Forest Division for further investigation under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The Leopards are listed under Schedule of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which provides the highest level of protection and prohibits any form of trade, sale, or possession of its skin or their body parts.
Part of DRI’s Nationwide Crackdown on Wildlife Trafficking
Officials said the latest action is part of a sustained crackdown on wildlife trafficking networks by DRI’s Mumbai Zonal Unit.
In May this year, DRI had seized two leopard skins (in trophy form) and one ivory (wild boar tooth) in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Similarly, In July 2025, the agency intercepted six persons involved in killing a tiger cub by electrocution in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, recovering nine tiger nails, 61 tiger bones, and the cub’s partially decomposed carcass. In August, DRI officials seized two more leopard skins in Rayagada, Odisha and arrested four persons.
DRI Strengthens Coordination to Curb Poaching and Trafficking
These sustained operations underscore the DRI’s commitment to protecting India’s rich and diverse wildlife from poaching and illegal trade. Through close coordination with state forest departments and other enforcement agencies, the DRI continues to dismantle national and international trafficking networks through precise, intelligence-driven enforcement under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Officials said the recent seizures reflect a sustained enforcement effort by the DRI against wildlife trafficking. The agency has been working with state forest departments and other enforcement bodies to track and intercept poachers and traders operating across states. Investigations indicate that several of these cases are linked to organised trafficking networks, officials added.
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