DRI busts wildlife trafficking networks, seizes 440 animals and ivory
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) said on 13 July 2026 that pan-India operations seized over 440 endangered or protected animals and about 15 kg of ivory, including about 11 kg of elephant ivory near Sujangarh, Rajasthan, with 33 arrests.
Summary
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) said on 13 July 2026 that its intelligence-driven pan-India operations against wildlife trafficking seized 440 endangered or protected wild animals and about 15 kg of ivory articles and elephant ivory, and led to 33 arrests. On 10 July 2026, DRI officers recovered about 11 kg of elephant ivory near Sujangarh, Rajasthan, and handed four persons to the Forest Department; earlier, two ivory idols were seized in Howrah. The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which prohibits trade in elephants and their derivatives. Commercial ivory trade is also banned in India in line with CITES, and ivory import and export are prohibited under the Foreign Trade Policy.
Key facts
- Seized
- 440 endangered/protected animals; ~15 kg ivory articles and elephant ivory
- Arrests
- 33
- Sujangarh, Rajasthan
- ~11 kg elephant ivory, 10 July 2026; 4 handed to Forest Department
- Howrah
- Two ivory idols seized
- Static link
- Indian elephant in Schedule I, Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972; ivory trade banned per CITES and Foreign Trade Policy
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Near which town in Rajasthan did DRI seize about 11 kg of elephant ivory on 10 July 2026?
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Correct answer: C — Sujangarh
DRI intercepted the ivory trade near Sujangarh, Rajasthan, recovering about 11 kg of elephant ivory.
How many endangered or protected wild animals did DRI report seizing in the pan-India operations announced on 13 July 2026?
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Correct answer: A — 440
DRI seized 440 endangered/protected animals and about 15 kg of ivory, and arrested 33 persons.
Consider the following statements about the legal protection of the Indian elephant, as cited by DRI: 1. The Indian elephant is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. 2. Commercial trade in ivory is prohibited in India in line with CITES obligations. 3. Import and export of ivory are prohibited under the Foreign Trade Policy. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: D — 1, 2 and 3
All three are correct as stated in the DRI release: Schedule I listing, the CITES-linked ban on commercial ivory trade, and the Foreign Trade Policy ban on ivory import and export.