Guwahati, July 1 -- In a major crackdown on wildlife trafficking, the Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police, in a late-night operation on June 19, 2026, rescued eight golden langurs - one of the world's most endangered primate species - and arrested nine people. Acting on intelligence, the STF team intercepted vehicles moving along National Highway-27 in Sidli, Chirang district, and rescued the endangered primates intended to be smuggled through West Bengal into the international black market, investigators revealed.

One Bangladeshi national, five from West Bengal, and three locals were among the nine arrested, indicating the involvement of a trafficking network with local intermediaries and interstate operatives linked to a larger in...