MUMBAI, Oct. 2 -- The skin of a leopard destined for the illegal wildlife trade has led to the arrest of two members of an inter-state trafficking syndicate, with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recovering the protected animal's hide during an intelligence-led operation in Gondia district. The DRI's Mumbai zonal unit intercepted the two accused near Purada village on Tuesday and recovered the leopard skin from their possession, officials said on Thursday. The seizure was made under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Leopards (Panthera pardus) are accorded the highest level of protection under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 , which prohibits the trade, sale, purchase, possession and transportation of their skins and other body parts. A leopard skin has previously been reported to command around Rs.5 lakh and goes up to Rs.1 crore in India's illegal trade, depending on its condition and demand. The hides are sought as luxury decor, wall hangings and carpets, while leopard body parts have also been documented in illegal traditional-medicine markets in Asia. Following the seizure formalities, the two accused and the recovered skin were handed over to the Forest Range Officer, North Deoria Range, Gondia, for further action under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, officials said. The seizure is the latest in a series of wildlife-trafficking cases involving leopard skins in the region. In January 2025, the DRI seized a leopard skin from three people in Akola, Maharashtra. In May 2025, its Nagpur unit recovered two leopard skins in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, and arrested two people....