Interpol Fugitive Nabbed in Tiger Trafficking Bust
In a significant development for wildlife conservation efforts, authorities in India have apprehended a woman identified as one of the world’s most wanted traffickers of tiger body parts. Yangchen Lachungpa, who was taken into custody earlier this week, is alleged to have played a pivotal role in establishing sophisticated trafficking routes designed to smuggle tiger parts out of the country.
Consequently, Lachungpa had been prominently featured on Interpol’s most-wanted list, and her request for bail was unequivocally rejected during a court appearance on Thursday. Wildlife officials have heralded her arrest as a major breakthrough in the ongoing battle against poaching within India, a country that is home to a significant portion of the world’s tiger population.
It is noteworthy that arrests of women in connection with the illegal trade of animal body parts are relatively rare, further underscoring the significance of this capture. Police had been actively searching for Lachungpa for several years. Her apprehension was the culmination of a meticulously coordinated operation involving both the Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, as confirmed by the environment ministry on Friday.
Furthermore, the ministry disclosed that Lachungpa was a key operative within an organized trafficking network. This network, it is believed, maintains extensive links extending to neighboring countries such as Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan, in addition to operating within several major Indian cities, including Delhi. This expansive reach highlights the complex and international nature of the illicit wildlife trade.
Lachungpa had previously been arrested in 2017. However, she managed to disappear after being granted bail, evading justice until this recent capture. Adding to the understanding of the network’s operations, another individual accused at the time, Jai Tamang, who was arrested in 2015, reportedly informed the police that he had exchanged wildlife contraband with Lachungpa in return for shelter. This testimony sheds light on the intricate relationships and transactions within the trafficking ring.
The demand for tiger parts, particularly in China, is largely driven by their purported use in traditional medicine. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has provided concerning statistics, indicating that there were 26 documented cases of tiger poaching in the current year. This figure follows 56 documented cases in the preceding year. However, IFAW emphasizes that the actual number of poached tigers is likely “many more,” as numerous animals are discovered deceased without clear evidence of poaching, suggesting that many incidents may go undetected.