Rajkot: The Special Operations Group (SOG) police busted a gang involved in the illegal trade of rare pangolins. The group was reportedly smuggling the endangered species from the Gir forest area and attempting to sell them in major cities.

Acting on a tip-off, the SOG arrested three individuals, including the prime accused, Bijal alias Vijay Jeeva Solanki. During the investigation, it was revealed that while one accused had valued the animal at around ₹25 lakh, Solanki was attempting to sell it for as high as ₹22 crore.

After the arrests, the accused and the rescued pangolin — protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act — were handed over to the Forest Department. Range Forest Officer B.B. Wala and Assistant Conservator of Forests Chirag Chandgude have begun questioning the suspects to ascertain how many pangolins were trafficked earlier and at what prices. The court has granted a four-day remand for further investigation.

The breakthrough came when police traced a suspicious person in Rajkot and discovered videos and messages related to pangolin trading on his mobile phone. The investigation led them to a farm near the Ghantwad forest, where the accused were caught attempting to finalize the deal.

Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are covered with protective keratin scales and curl into a tight ball when threatened. DeshGujarat