Mumbai, April 13 -- The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled an inter-state illegal wildlife trafficking syndicate involved in the illegal trade of Indian pangolin scales, seizing 16.52 kg of scales and detaining three accused. The operation was conducted at Jagdalpur on Sunday based on tip offs. The accused were allegedly planning to trade the scales when the DRI team intercepted them. The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), native to the Indian subcontinent is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, which gives it the highest degree of legal protection. It has large, overlapping scales which act as armour. Officials said pangolins are illegally hunted for their meat and scales, falsely believed to possess medicinal properties in certain traditional medicine markets. International demand has made pangolins the has fuelled poaching and trafficking syndicates, making pangolins "the most trafficked mammals worldwide," said DRI officials....