Purnia (Bihar): At least five people have been arrested for smuggling a rare Tokay gecko lizard-found in Asia and some Pacific Islands-in Bihar's Purnia District on Wednesday. The lizard was being taken to Delhi for smuggling whose estimated value is Rs 1 crore in the international market.
The state police recovered the lizard after conducing a search operation at a medical shop named Taj Medicine Hall near Baisi police station area in Bihar.
"This lizard was brought from Karandighi in West Bengal. Police have arrested five people so far in the case and searching for the owner of the medical shop and others who are involved in the case", Aditya Kumar, SDPO. Tokay geckos are listed in Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 as highly endangered.
Apart from this, 50 packets of cough syrup containing codeine were also recovered from the shop. An investigation into the matter is underway, said Kumar. The seized cough syrups, 50 packs, were laced with the intoxicating banned substance codeine, he said.
