KARACHI, Sept 25: Three men allegedly involved in illegal wildlife trade were caught during raids on shops in the Empress Market and on Zaibunnisa Street by the Sindh wildlife department on Tuesday.

SWD game inspector Bashir Shaikh told Dawn that during a raid on a Zaibunnisa Street shop around 50 skins of protected animals like hog deer, Sindh Ibex, deer, etc, and around 50 stuffed birds like falcons, peacocks and animals like jungle cat were recovered.

A case was registered against the suspects and since the skins and stuffed animals were protected under the Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance they would not be returned.

A man, Welio Waghri, was also caught along with over 250 sparrows, parrots, etc, and a fine of Rs5,000 was imposed on him while the birds were released.

In the third raid, 12 farm-born chakor partridge were seized in a shop in the Empress Market and a fine of Rs5,000 was imposed on the shopkeeper, added Mr Shaikh.