Mumbai's Chembur hotel trap busts illegal elephant ivory deal; 4 held

Two tusks, 11 kg and 20.6 kg, recovered by cops, later confirmed by forest officials as genuine ivory. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Chembur police arrested four men from a hotel room on April 22 while they were attempting to illegally trade elephant ivory. The accused are Akash Ashok Awhad, 28; Sandeep Randhir Bidlani, 33; Shashank Chandrashekhar Ranjankar, 38; and Dinesh Rammanohar Agnivanshi, 40. The operation was led by PSI Girish Malve under DCP Sameer Shaikh, Zone 6, and Senior Police Inspector Rajesh Kewale of Chembur police station.

Tip-off trail

The crime detection team received specific intelligence through informants that a group was looking to sell elephant tusks in Chembur. One informant contacted Bidlani, posing as a buyer. He confirmed he had tusks and agreed to a deal at Taj Lodging and Boarding on RC Marg.

Hotel trap

Police laid a trap after a pre-trap panchnama and reached the hotel around 6:05 pm. Informants entered a first-floor room as buyers while the team waited outside. As the accused arrived, one carried a black bag suspected of holding the contraband. At around 7:27 pm, the signal was received, and the police team moved in. All four accused were found inside the room along with the informants.

Ivory seizure

Two elephant tusks wrapped in plastic were recovered from the bed. Forest officials confirmed that they were genuine ivory. The tusks weighed about 11 kg and 20.6 kg, indicating they were likely sourced from poached elephants, as the ivory trade is strictly prohibited under the Indian law.

Also seized

>> A black travel bag used to transport the ivory
>> Plastic coverings, cloth wrapping, rope, and a blanket used for concealment
>> Four mobile phones, now under examination for communication links

Network probe

Police suspect links to a larger wildlife trafficking network. They are probing the source of the ivory, possible interstate or international links, and financial and call records. All four accused are in police custody and have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.