First time: ED attaches chimpanzees, marmosets under PMLA

Believe it or t, ED has attached three chimpanzees and four marmosets as part of a money-laundering probe against a wildlife smuggler of West Bengal. central ncy, which probes serious money laundering crimes, said chimpanzees that were seized by customs from smuggler's house were being kept at Alipore Zoological Garden in Kolkata. y have become a major attraction for visitors and hence, a source of revenue too, it said, ding that marmosets were being kept at an animal shelter. ncy said first-of-its-kind attachment under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) "enabled" zoo authorities to retain animals as smuggler was making attempts to take m away.

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ED attaches wild animals as assets, books smuggler

An attachment by Enforcement Directorate (ED) renders an asset out of bounds for its owner and it can be furr confiscated by ncy after judicating Authority of PMLA, a quasi-judicial body, approves attachment within 180 days. ncy said seven animals are valued at Rs 81 lakh, with each chimpanzee worth Rs 25 lakh and a marmoset, a species of small long-tailed South American monkeys, about Rs 1.5 lakh. case pertains to West Bengal government's complaint against alleged smuggler Suprip Guha for "illegal possession" of wild animals. ED said state police h booked Guha for "forgery and using forged documents as genuine as he was found using a forged permission letter to illegally transport wildlife birds purportedly issued by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, WildLife and Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal."

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Case under PMLA

It took over case under PMLA based on this police FIR. ED said its probe found Guha was "running an organised wildlife smuggling racket". He is a clever criminal and recorded contrictory statements before customs authorities and wildlife authorities to eve action from both departments, it alleged. Guha also obtained fake certificates regarding birth of three chimpanzees in India, ED said. "This attachment has enabled zoo authorities to keep animals with m. action by ED will deter dealers against indulging in illegal tre of animals and wildlife," it said. 

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