New Delhi:�Delhi Police's Crime Branch apprehended four people for allegedly being involved in the possession and illegal trade of two rare rhinoceros horns, valued at Rs 3 crore in the international market, an official said on Saturday.The arrested individuals are Deepak Sharma (57), a resident of Lajpat Nagar; Suresh Kumar (57), Sant Ram (57), and Anil Kumar Sethi (60), all residents of Uttam Nagar, police said.
The four of them were found to be involved in the illegal trade of horns from a white rhinoceros, police added. White rhinoceros is a species native to African countries and is considered highly endangered.
The police received a tip-off about the illegal trade, following which a raid was conducted in Lajpat Nagar on January 9, police added. "As part of the operation, constable Naveen was deployed as a decoy customer. After negotiations, the deal for the sale of the horns was finalised for Rs 1 crore, with the perpetrators planning to deliver the horns to the buyer. The team raided a flat in Lajpat Nagar, where they apprehended the four accused and recovered the two horns," said Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Sanjay Kumar Sain.
The officer further stated that upon questioning, the accused failed to provide any documentation to prove the legal possession of the� horns. Wildlife experts who examined the horns confirmed they were from a white rhinoceros. The horns, which have significant value in the international market due to their rarity and demand, police said.
During interrogation, Deepak Sharma revealed that the rhinoceros horns had been in his family for nearly 90 years. His grandfather had kept the horns as antique items, but due to financial troubles exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, Sharma decided to sell them, police said.
Knowing the high value of the horns, Sharma reached out to Suresh Kumar, a Mahant in Uttam Nagar, seeking to sell the horns for Rs 1 crore, police said. Kumar, in turn, contacted Sant Ram, a government employee, who connected with Anil Kumar Sethi, a private worker, to finalize the deal, they added.
"The group was motivated by financial distress, with each individual facing debt or financial obligations. Suresh Kumar needed money for construction work at an ashram, while Sant Ram and Anil Kumar were also in debt and saw the sale of the horns as a way to earn quick money," Sain said.
Police said a case under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act has been registered, including charges related to the illegal possession and sale of wildlife products. The investigation is ongoing and further action will be taken to identify and apprehend any other individuals involved in this international wildlife trafficking network, Sain said.�