Sindh police foil bid to smuggle 18 deer

Animals were being illegally transported from Tharparkar to Hyderabad

KARACHI: The Umerkot police foiled on Wednesday an attempt to illegally transport 18 deer from Tharparkar to Hyderabad, after Umerkot SHO Khalil Kumbar was informed of the smuggling bid by Sindh wildlife department (SWD) officials.

On receiving the information, police carried out snap checking at Samaro More checkpost and found 18 deer illegally being transported in a car.

The smugglers, identified as Muhammad Owais Pathan, Muhammad Kashif Miyo and Zeeshan, all residents of Hyderabad, were handed over to the SWD.

"They [the offenders] planned to deceive us by showing a private zoo permit," SWD deputy conservator Mir Aijaz Talpur later told The Express Tribune, explaining that the permit was in fact issued only for captive breeds of animals and did not sanction the transport, sale and purchase of wild animals.

As per SWD officials, the offenders own a private zoo, and their motive behind the smuggling bid was to keep the deer at their zoo.

Talpur said that the smugglers had purchased the deer from different areas of Tharparkar, including Chhachro and Daheli talukas.

"They have shared details of the traders [from whom they purchased the deer] and the department will take stern action against all those involved in the illegal hunting and trade of the animals," he said. "The smugglers assumed that [SWD] officials would be staying at home amid the lockdown and wanted to take advantage of the situation but our staff has remained alert," the deputy conservator remarked, adding that such an attempt of illegally transporting 18 deer was unthinkable under normal circumstances.

A case against the smugglers has been registered under the Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance.

According to Talpur, they will be presented before a court today (Thursday) if they fail to pay the required penalty and compensation to the SWD. He elaborated that they were to pay a fine of Rs50,000, in addition to Rs100,000 for each deer.

"They will have to pay Rs180,000 to the government or the deer will be released into the wild," said Talpur.

In case of non-payment of compensation, the deer will be released in the Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary near Mithi, Tharparkar, according to SWD officials.

According to police, the deer, including seven stags, eight does and three fawns, are in stable condition.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2020.