390 kg banned herb seized

Tribune News Service

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Solan, February 7

The police seized 14 bags of banned herb taxus baccata from a utility vehicle on the Giripul-Neripul road in Rajgarh this afternoon.

The police had laid a routine naka to check vehicles coming from Pulwahal and Sainj. They saw a van halted about 100 mt away and its two occupants ran towards the bushes.

A checking of the vehicle led to the seizure of the banned herb, weighing 390 kg. The vehicle had been covered with tarpaulin to conceal the products.

SP, Sirmaur, Ajay Krishan Sharma, said a case under Sections 41 and 41 of the Forest Act, 1927, and 379 and 34 of the IPC had been registered and further probe was under way.

Used in anti-cancer research, its leaves and bark are highly valued and fetch huge money. It is found in the foothills of the Himalayas and is on the verge of extinction. The police were tracing the vehicle owner.