INDORE: Forest department’s STF (wildlife) Indore has arrested a coral smuggler from Gujarat , who was the chief supplier of coral stones and turtles to different states of India. A resident of Junagarh district of Gujarat, Murtuza Makad, had been absconding for a long time, in a case of smuggling registered against him at Indore last month.A four-member team of the special task force (wildlife) nabbed him after tracing him through the phone records of an Indore’s dealer, who was arrested in March. The dealer from Shivaji market was arrested with 20 corals and two endangered Indian tent turtles, following which the police had been tracing his supplier.Makad, who was arrested on Saturday, was produced before a special court in Indore on Sunday, and was sent to police remand for a day. The case will be tried before chief judicial magistrate Keshav Singh at Indore district court.The accused had been collecting the corals from the coastal areas of Gujarat- Dwarka, and Diu. He then circulated messages on social media, selling the live coral stones as decorative items for homes, claiming a huge amount for them.“There is a huge demand for these items in cities of Central India- Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur and Ujjain-as house décor items. These items were on sale for Rs 3,000 to Rs7,000,” deputy conservator of forest, involved in the operation said.Deepak Surwade, who was arrested on March 7 by the STF, purchased the coral stones from Makad for sale. While no corals were seized from Makad’s possession, the police is expecting to uncover further links of the organized crime.Collecting, selling, buying and transporting coral reefs are criminal offences under the Wildlife Protection Act and the offence is punishable with seven years of imprisonment.

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