Mysuru: A Karnataka forest police mobile squad led by DCF A. T. Poovaiah arrested members of an ivory selling gang and seized 25 kg ivory worth about Rs 5 lakh from them.
According to forest officials, the accused are identified as Prestine Silva, Jayaprakash, both from Trivandrum, Kerala as well as Mohan and Ramesh from Udayagiri, Mysuru.
A total of eight pieces of ivory weighing 25 kg were seized from them. Besides, a two-wheeler used to transport the booty was also seized in the case.
The accused were negotiating and demanding a price of Rs 20,000 per kg of ivory, when the forest department laid a trap, based on a tip-off.
ACF Suvarna, RFO Vivek, DyRFOs Mohan, Lakshmish, Sundar, Pramod, Thushara, Sneha and Meghana, forest guards Channabasavaiah, Govinda, Ravinandan, Ravikumar and Mahantesh, drivers Madhu and Puttaswamy were a part of the team that nabbed the gang.