Raigad police and the forest department have dismantled a criminal syndicate involved in exotic bird trafficking. Twelve rare birds, including macaws, cockatoos, and African Grey parrots, were stolen from a Karjat rescue facility and sold in Chennai
Exotic bird seized by Raigad police. Pic/Special arrangement
A criminal syndicate involved in the theft and illegal trafficking of exotic birds has been dismantled. The birds, which were stolen from a rescue facility in Karjat, were sold in Chennai to a breeder. The operation was exposed and broken up by the Raigad police and forest department in collaboration with NGOs dedicated to wildlife conservation.
The 12 birds that were stolen include one Blue Gold Macaw, one Scarlett Macaw, one Mollucan Cockatoo and nine African grey parrots.
President of NGO RAWW and Secretary of Riwild Sanctuary and Charitable Trust Pawan Sharma, who is also the Honorary Wildlife Warden of Thane, said, "In a late-night incident on July 16 between 1:30 AM and 2:00 AM, three unidentified individuals wearing masks and hoodies broke into the Riwild property in Karjat, where exotic birds were housed. The people involved in the theft appeared to have prior knowledge of the layout, suggesting a possible recce had been conducted in advance. The intruders locked the caretakers and security guards inside their quarters and proceeded to break the locks on the bird enclosures. Using modified badminton nets fitted with cotton bags, they managed to capture 12 birds, which were then allegedly transported in a private vehicle."
According to Sharma, the individuals demonstrated experience in handling exotic birds, which aided in their swift and efficient capture of the animals.
Veterinarian Dr Rina Dev, who is also the Founder & President of the Riwild Sanctuary & Charitable Trust, informed the Raigad Police about the incident, Raigad Police and an FIR was filed against the unidentified suspects. Without wasting any time, the Raigad police launched the investigation, and around a month back, one arrest related to the case was made. During the investigation, one of the accused provided information about the other accused to the police, which helped in cracking the case.
Sources told mid day that initial attempts to sell the exotic birds in Pune were unsuccessful, prompting the suspects to try again in Kerala and Bangalore. However, they failed to find buyers there as well. Eventually, the Raigad Police received a tip-off, leading to a breakthrough in the case. It was discovered that some of the birds had been sold to a private breeder in Chennai.
Acting on this lead, police teams were dispatched, and the stolen birds were successfully recovered. The investigation is in progress, and further arrests also might be made.
The Raigad Forensic Team and Dog Squad were also a part of the initial investigation, which played a major role in understanding the modus operandi.
Private veterinarian Dr Rina Dev, the owner of Rewild, said, "It is very disappointing and hurtful to see this happening, but this is the harsh reality of the exotic wildlife pet industry. The birds which were at the facility were seized from illegal wildlife trafficking, abandoned and rescued. They were abused, and many of them are under rehab and treatment. The current condition of the birds is not good due to the manner in which they were captured, transported and kept. All of them are underweight and traumatised. We are glad that they survived."
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