By Our Reporter
Shillong: The Wildlife Protection Squad on Thursday last apprehended eight smugglers and also seized huge cache of timber from Nongkhyllem extension areas.
The arrested persons have been identified as Daniel Mawiong, Shembor Rani, Selson Lyngdoh, Diam Ranee, Samuel Wahlang, Alex Marbaniang, Kuberli Ranee and Joseph Marbaniang.
According to a statement issued by the Wildlife Protection Squad, the arrested smugglers during their interrogation at Nongpoh Police Station revealed the names of the kingpin of the timber mafia. Efforts would be intensified to nab the mafia bosses, the statement added.
It may be mentioned that a forest informer, Nit Mawiong, who was passing vital information to the Wildlife staff had been brutally murdered by suspected timber mafia in November last.