New Delhi: Two important seizures of shahtoosh shawls at close intervals in July have once again underlined the ongoing illegal trade on shahtoosh.
Close on the heels of the arrest of a shahtoosh trader in Dharamshala on July 15, another seizure was reported in Bangkok on July 17 where Thai police have detained four dealers for questioning and confiscated over 250 purported shahtoosh shawls.
Simultaneous raids were conducted at three locations in downtown Bangkok after crucial links were provided by the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN – WEN) to the local officials, according to agency reports.
In the first case, under cover operatives of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) posed as decoy customers to trap the alleged trader in Dharamshala. Forest officials conducted the raid at his shop located on a busy street in Mcleodganj after a tip-off by WTI. Shahtoosh shawl and crucial information were obtained from the accused.
Despite the ban on shahtoosh trade, shawls are still being manufactured to cater the demand in illegal markets – recent seizures only highlight this fact. Conservationists say hundreds of Tibetan antelopes (Pantholops Hodgsonii) are still being killed in Tibet’s Chang Tang region.
According to Ashok Kumar, Vice Chairman of WTI, “Some shops dealing in Kashmiri handicrafts are still involved with this trade. Therefore, strict enforcement of the law through seizures and apprehending criminals will be vital to stop this trade permanently.”
In the last 12 months due to concerted efforts by various countries several successful raids and seizures were conducted to stop the trade.
