Smuggled Birds Worth Over Rs 14 Lakh Intercepted In Bengal

The Border Security Force has intercepted a pair of rare birds in West Bengal that was being smuggled to Bangladesh. The Toucan birds, which can fetch over Rs 14,21,000, have been turned over to the Alipore Zoo in Kolkata.  

Based on intelligence input, the BSF troops carried out a special search operation in the forest area of village Halder Para, Angrail and recovered the birds, the paramilitary said in a statement.

The smugglers, however, escaped in the jungle.

"At about 0645 hrs, the operational party observed two suspicious persons hiding behind bamboo bushes in the forest area. When they saw the BSF party approaching, they suddenly ran towards the Indian side with a cage in their hand. The BSF party chased them but they threw the cage in the forest area and managed to escape due to dense vegetation," it said.

Keel-billed Toucan, also known as sulfur-breasted toucan or rainbow billed toucan, is a colorful Latin American member of the toucan family. It is the National bird of Belize. The species is found in tropical jungles from southern Mexico to Colombia.

The BSF, which was raised in 1965, mans the Indian borders as the first line of defence against infiltration, smuggling and potential military aggression.