On 20 July 2024, Humla District Police arrested a man with 18 musk pods from Simikot Rural Municipality-6, Humla. In a special operation following a tip-off by the undercover informant, a special unit of district police apprehended him from his residence.
The Deputy Superintendent of Police shared that the musk pods were recovered after police raided his house at night. According to the police, the offender said that he had purchased the pods from Delhi, India, and was planning to sell them in Tibet. During the police statement, he said he left Delhi on July 11 and arrived in Simkot on July 16.
This arrest and seizure is an important success for local enforcement in combating illegal wildlife trade and highlights the effectiveness of deploying undercover informants. However, the case also raises concerns about traffickers using Nepal as a transit hub.
Musk mods are usually obtained by killing male deer. The harvest and use of musk pods to make perfumes, fragrances, and medicines, especially in traditional Chinese medicines, is one of the major drivers of musk deer poaching. Three species of musk deer are found in Nepal, all of which are assessed as endangered by the IUCN and listed in CITES Appendix I. As per the law, poaching and illegal trade of musk deer are punishable by a fine of up to 10 lakh rupees and up to 15 years in prison.
Greenhood Nepal has been working for many years to help frontline enforcement and the community with tools and capacity to curb wildlife crime. Please check our program and publication pages to learn more about our efforts and the situation in Nepal.