Odisha police investigate orangutan trafficking racket

The Odisha Special Task Force (STF) is investigating an alleged wildlife trafficking racket involving the smuggling of five baby orangutans found in the Baleshwar district. Investigators suspect more than 16 agents are involved in the network. The operation is believed to be managed domestically by Jayanta Maiti and his son, Soumyadeep Maiti, while the primary operator is suspected to be located outside of India.

Authorities are searching for the Maitis, who are believed to have fled to Nepal. The STF has requested assistance from Interpol and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to locate them. To trace the movement of the primates, the STF plans to coordinate with police in Assam, Mizoram, and Maharashtra, where similar rescues have occurred in recent years.

Investigators are currently reviewing CCTV footage from Baleshwar and Kolkata. They have identified a black SUV used in the suspected transport of the animals, which was tracked to a hotel in Digha. However, the lack of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras in certain areas has presented challenges in tracking the exact movement of the animals between West Bengal and Odisha.