Thane, Jul 12 (Agency) The crime branch officials of the Thane city police arrested one person from Mumbra and seized a crocodile from his possession, police said on Monday. Acting on a tip-off that one person was to come to Mumbra to sell smuggled goods, the police laid a trap there on Saturday evening and spotted him. The police carried out a search of his person and found that he was carrying with him seven crocodiles of species Crocodylus palustris with him.
The police arrested him and offences under various sections, including the one pertaining to Wildlife protection act, has been registered against him. The police gave the name of the person as Saklen Sirazuddin Khatib, 28, of Kausa Mumbra. The police said that the value of the seized goods is Rs 2.87 lakhs. The police are now trying to find out as to from where he sourced it and to whom he was to sell them. He was produced before a local magistrate who remanded him into police custody till July 15. Crocodylus palustris is a medium-sized broad-snouted crocodile, also known as mugger and marsh crocodile.