Aizawl: Four people were detained and questioned by officials of the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) for trafficking exotic birds, Border Security Force (BSF) sources said on Monday.
The four people are from Kerala.
Sources said that sleuths from BSF and DRI seized 26 birds of rare species during a joint operation in Khamrang area on the national highway-54 on Saturday and arrested six people, including four Mizos, in connection with the seizure.
The sleuths intercepted two suspected vehicles and on checking them they discovered 26 suspicious boxes carrying 26 exotic birds worth Rs 28 lakh, a BSF officer told this correspondent. He said that the seized birds, which include 23 cockatoos (yellow crested), 2 crown-headed pigeons and one emu, were smuggled from Myanmar to be taken to Kerala.
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Four people coming from Kerala to receive the consignment were arrested along with two Mizo drivers, who illegally transported the birds, he added.
While four Kerala natives were detained in DRI custody, two Mizo drivers have been released on Sunday. Two of the detained suspects are likely to be released after questioning, sources also said.
This is the second such recovery made in Aizawl in this year. The illegal trade is clandestinely carried out through Indo-Myanmar border.
