On 5 November 2026, about 27 km from Guwahati, Assam, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) halted a wildlife smuggling attempt near Sonapur Toll Gate.

At 5:40 p.m., officials spotted five suspects on two two‑wheelers, one of whom was carrying a bag suspected to contain elephant tusks.

The suspects, when stopped, brandished knives and guns and tried to flee, but dropped the bag and ran towards a nearby village.

Seized items and legal action

Search of the abandoned bag yielded two elephant tusks, measuring 29 inches and 30 inches in length respectively, with a total weight of about 3.7 kilograms. They were seized under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and handed over to the Assam State Forest Department for further investigation.

Elephant tusks are protected under Schedule‑1 of the Act and Appendix‑1 of CITES, and any commercial transaction involving them is prohibited under Indian law.

DRI’s commitment

DRI said it is fully committed to curbing wildlife smuggling through intelligence‑based action and cooperation with other agencies.

  • Date: 5 November 2026
  • Location: Sonapur Toll Gate, near Guwahati, Assam
  • Seized items: two elephant tusks (total 3.7 kg)
  • Responsible agency: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)