The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized more than 440 endangered and protected wild animals, around 15 kg of ivory and elephant ivory articles, and arrested 33 people in a nationwide crackdown on wildlife trafficking, the finance ministry said on Monday.

The intelligence-led operations, carried out across several states over the past week, targeted organised wildlife crime syndicates involved in the illegal trade in protected species and wildlife products.

Among the biggest seizures was an operation near Sujangarh in Rajasthan on July 10, where DRI officers recovered around 11 kg of elephant ivory and apprehended four persons. The accused were handed over to the Forest Department for action under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. In another operation in Mysuru, officials seized around 4 kg of elephant ivory and apprehended three persons involved in the illegal trade.

The ministry said commercial trade in ivory is prohibited under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, in line with India’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The import and export of ivory are also prohibited under the Foreign Trade Policy.

In a separate operation, DRI officers in Howrah apprehended two persons and seized two ivory idols suspected to have been smuggled into India from Bangladesh.

The DRI also busted an interstate wildlife trafficking syndicate operating across Maharashtra and West Bengal in a joint operation with the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI’s) Economic Offences Branch, supported by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB). The operation resulted in the rescue of 15 slow lorises, two binturongs, 28 star tortoises, six Egyptian vultures and two shikra birds. Six accused were arrested by the CBI.

Separately, DRI officers foiled several attempts to smuggle protected wildlife into India through international airports by passengers arriving from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Colombo. The seizures included albino red-eared turtles, bearded dragons, African spurred tortoises, Borneo pythons, green iguanas, mangrove monitor lizards, Goeldi’s marmosets, yellow-cheeked gibbons and siamang gibbons, among other protected species.

According to the ministry, coordinated operations in Bengaluru, Warangal, Pune, Surat, Chennai, Kolkata, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Srikakulam, Hojai in Assam, Rajasthan, Mysuru and Howrah also led to the seizure of wildlife products such as pangolin scales, leopard pelts, seahorse-based products and red sanders, besides the rescue of several protected reptiles, birds and mammals.

The operations were carried out in coordination with agencies including the CBI, WCCB, Customs Airport Intelligence Units, state forest departments and local police.

The finance ministry said the sustained intelligence-led operations underscore DRI’s efforts to dismantle organised wildlife trafficking networks and reinforce India’s commitment to protecting endangered species under CITES.