**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer from the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs to Unstarred Question No. 2617 in Lok Sabha regarding wildlife smuggling through northeast borders. It acknowledges the Ministry's awareness of wildlife smuggling and the efforts of Border Guarding Forces. The response, scheduled for December 16, 2025, details the lack of specific training and equipment for wildlife trafficking detection and coordination mechanisms with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Wildlife Smuggling Awareness:** The Ministry is aware of wildlife smuggling along India's northeast borders.
* **Countermeasures:** Border Guarding Forces are actively working to counter wildlife smuggling by apprehending criminals, leading to seizures in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
* **Data Limitations:** The Ministry does not maintain state-wise details on the number of registered cases and conviction rates related to wildlife smuggling.
* **Training and Equipment:** Border Guarding Forces (BGFs) lack specialized training or equipment specifically for detecting wildlife trafficking.
* **Detection Method:** Wildlife trafficking cases are identified during regular border surveillance.
* **Handling of Seized Species:** Recovered or seized wildlife/exotic species are handed over to the Forest Departments/Customs Departments of the concerned states.
* **Coordination Mechanisms:** Coordination with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) exists through district-level meetings with civil authorities.
**Impact Analysis**
**Border Guarding Forces (BGFs)**
* **Impact:** Currently detect wildlife smuggling through regular border surveillance rather than specialized training.
* **Action Required:** Continue surveillance efforts, seize and hand over intercepted wildlife to relevant authorities.
**Forest Departments/Customs Departments of Concerned States**
* **Impact:** Receive seized wildlife and exotic species from Border Guarding Forces.
* **Action Required:** Handle and process seized wildlife according to established protocols.
**Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)**
* **Impact:** Coordination takes place through district-level meetings to address issues related to wildlife crime.
* **Action Required:** Continue participating in and coordinating with civil authorities in district-level meetings.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Home Affairs: The central ministry responsible for internal security and border management, answering the parliamentary question about wildlife smuggling.
Northeast Borders: The geographical area of focus concerning wildlife smuggling from South-East Asia and Latin America.
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB): Agency that coordinates with Forest Departments/Customs Departments to combat wildlife trafficking
Border Guarding Forces (BGFs): Agencies responsible for border surveillance that detect wildlife smuggling.
Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura: States in India mentioned with instances of wildlife smuggling and seizures.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2617
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16TH DECEMBER, 2025/ AGRAHAYANA 25, 1947
(SAKA)
WILDLIFE SMUGGLING THROUGH NORTHEAST BORDERS
2617. DR. AMAR SINGH:
Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Ministry is aware of increased wildlife smuggling through
India's northeast borders involving exotic species from South-East Asia and
Latin America;
(b) if so, the number of wildlife smuggling cases registered in the northeast
States in the past five years, State-wise breakup and the conviction rate in
such cases;
(c) whether the Border Security Force, Assam Rifles and other paramilitary
forces deployed in the northeast have been trained and equipped to detect
and prevent wildlife trafficking; and
(d) if so, the details of such training programmes and coordination
mechanisms with wildlife protection agencies?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI NITYANAND RAI)
(a) & (b): The Ministry is aware of wildlife smuggling at the borders,
however, the Border Guarding Forces are effectively countering this issue by
apprehending criminals. There have been cases of wildlife smuggling and its
seizures in the States of Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura.-2-
L.S.US.Q.NO. 2617 FOR 16.12.2025
The details of number of cases registered and conviction rates in such cases,
state-wise, are not maintained by the Ministry.
(c) & (d): The Border Guarding Forces (BGFs) do not possess any specialized
training or equipment dedicated to detecting wildlife trafficking. The wildlife
trafficking cases are detected whenever their smuggling takes place across
the border during regular border surveillance. If any wildlife / exotic species
are recovered/seized during border surveillance, the same are handed over to
the Forest Departments/Customs Departments of the concerned States.
There are mechanisms in place for coordination with the Wildlife Crime
Control Bureau (WCCB). District-level meetings with the concerned civil
authorities are being held regularly in which such types of issues are
discussed and coordinated.
*****