Maharashtra: Ivory carving worth Rs 2.50 crore seized in Thane, two held

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The Thane Police have seized an ivory carving estimated to be worth Rs 2.50 crore. The police arrested two persons on the charge of smuggling elephant tusks, an official told the PTI said on Wednesday. The crime unit-I of the Thane Police in Maharashtra seized the ivory piece weighing 1.4 kilogram from Kalwa on Tuesday afternoon, he said.

"Based on a tip-off that some persons were coming to Shivaji Chowk at Kalwa to sell an elephant tusk, a police team laid a trap and nabbed the duo, who were found carrying a bag. After a search, a 34.50 cm-long and 8 cm-wide carved ivory piece was recovered from it," the official said.

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"An image of a woman along with some design was carved on the tusk. There was something written below it in some foreign language along with an English letter and numerics written on it in red colour," he said, adding that the carved ivory piece is worth Rs 2.50 crore.

The accused - Amit Warlikar (42), who is a fitness instructor, and Sagar Patil (40), a lotter seller - were arrested and a case was registered against them under various sections of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 at Kalwa police station.

The official added, in their interrogations, the accused told the police that they had procured the tusk from a person identified as Tara, following which an operation to nab him has been launched.

The police are also trying to find out to whom the ivory piece was to be sold, he said.

(with PTI inputs)