After dodging the Interpol, and the police in India and Nepal, the notorious wildlife trader Tsewang was finally arrested on Sunday by the Boudha Police in Nepal. He is wanted in a number of cases in both Nepal and India.Though the Nepal police have claimed that Tsewang and Tashi Tsering, South Asia’s most wanted wildlife criminal and wanted in several cases in India, are one and the same person, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) keep their fingers crossed. ‘‘Let it be established beyond doubt that Tashi Tsering resurfaced in the trade as Tsewang. We don’t want to jump the gun now,’’ said an official.While confusion remains over his identity, getting hold of Tsewang is good enough as he is named in a couple of recent cases including the seizure in New Delhi on April 2 this year. On the other hand, Tashi Tsering has been in the trade for years and was named in a number of cases including the Khaga seizure. After the Interpol issued a red corner notice against him in 2002, Tashi Tsering had gone underground. Soon enough, a new player entered the trade—Tsewang. Acting on information provided by field operatives of the Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN) and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), the Nepal authorities acted swiftly under the guidance of Valley Chief (DIG Krishna Basnet and D.B. Lama, Nepal ex-police chairman and ex-police chief) and made the arrest.
