The ED has issued a Provisional Attachment Order in respect of three chimpanzees and four marmosets being the proceeds of crime under PMLA.
In a first of its kind case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached smuggled wildlife animals - three chimpanzees and four marmosets - as part of a money laundering probe under PMLA against a wildlife smuggler of West Bengal.
The ED has issued a Provisional Attachment Order in respect of three chimpanzees and four marmosets being the proceeds of crime under provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, the agency said in a statement.
The value of each of the Chimpanzees has been assessed to be Rs 25 lakh and that of a marmoset to be Rs 1.5 lakh. The total value of attached wildlife animals is said to be around Rs 81 lakh.
The central agency said that the attachment under PMLA has enabled Kolkata Zoo Authorities to retain the wildlife animals with them.
The case pertains to a state government complaint against an alleged wildlife smuggler Supradip Guha for "illegal possession" of wild animals.
"Investigation was taken up on the basis of information received from the Wild Life Department, Govt of West Bengal regarding the seizure of prohibited Wildlife under Indian Wildlife protection Act 1972 from Supradip Guha of Kolkata," the ED said.
The agency said the Wildlife Department has filed a complaint against Guha in a local court for illegal possession of the prohibited wildlife. A complaint was also filed by the department against Guha with Police and an FIR was registered for forgery and using forged documents as genuine as he was found using a forged permission letter, allegedly from wildlife authorities, to illegally transport birds.
The ED, after investigation, found out that Guha was "running an organised wildlife smuggling racket."
"He is a clever criminal and recorded contradictory statements before the Customs Authorities and the Wild Life Authorities to evade action both under Customs as well as Wild Life Laws," the ED said.
He also obtained fake certificates regarding birth of the three Chimpanzees in India, it added.
Now that the animals have been provisionally attached under the PMLA, they are now kept with Kolkata's Alipore Zoological Garden.
Earlier, the Zoo authorities had requested action from ED to enable them to retain the wild animals as Guha was attempting to take them back by claiming right over them by using false statements and documents.
However, the ED said its actions have frustrated his efforts.
The three Chimpanzees are a major point of attraction for all the visitors in the Zoo and thus a source of revenue for the Zoo, the ED said.
"This attachment has enabled the zoo authorities to keep the animals with them. The action by the ED will deter dealers against indulging in illegal trade of animals and wildlife," it said.
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