IMPHAL: Joining the multi-pronged drive against the increasing poaching and smuggling of tokay geckos in the state, Assam Rifles personnel seized five geckos meant to be smuggled to China via Myanmar from two smugglers at the border town of Moreh.
Personnel of 9 Assam Rifles launched an operation to curb such smuggling and apprehended the two, along with five specimen of the rare reptile species, at Moreh Gate No 2 on Monday, said Assam Rifles officials here on Thursday.
The geckos were supposed to be smuggled from Moreh to Myanmar and were to be sent to China, the statement said, adding that the estimated cost of a gecko is about Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 in the local (grey) market.
The arrested duo — W Mani Singh and Ch Rajesh Singh — along with the geckos were handed over to Manipur forest officials at Moreh. With Monday's seizure, nearly 60 geckos have been rescued from different parts of the state by the police, People for Animals (PFA), Thoubal district and central forces in the past four months.
Owing to their purported therapeutic values, tokay geckos have a high demand in some Asian countries, though experts say there is no scientific proof to substantiate claims that the reptiles have any medicinal values.
A smuggler can easily fetch up to Rs 20 lakh for a mature gecko weighing around 200gm and measuring 14 inches in these countries.
Taking serious note of the reported smuggling of tokay geckos from Manipur to foreign countries, the wildlife crime control bureau urged the Union ministry of forests and environment to include the reptile species in the endangered animals' scheduled list under the Protection of Wildlife Act, 1972.
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