Guwahati, Apr 12: Assam Police on Friday seized 11 rare and endangered tokay geckos in Dibrugarh and arrested three smugglers attempting to sell each for ₹60 lakh. The reptiles, protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, are highly sought after in Southeast Asia’s grey market.
The arrested trio—Debashis Dohutia (34), Manash Dohutia (28), and Dipankar Gharphalia (40)—confessed during interrogation that the geckos were brought from Arunachal Pradesh for illegal sale.
Acting on a tip-off, the Special Task Force (STF), in coordination with Dibrugarh police and the Wildlife Justice Commission, conducted a raid at Mohanbari Tiniali. Two suspects arrived in a white car and one on a motorcycle. Once they gathered at a local eatery and retrieved a red backpack from the car, STF personnel moved in and arrested them.
Possession or sale of tokay geckos can lead to up to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.