Woman wanted by Interpol for trafficking tiger parts arrested in India

A woman accused of being one of the world’s most wanted tiger parts has been arrested in India, officials said.

Yangchen Lachungpa, who was detained earlier this week, is accused of playing a key role in building smuggling corridors to smuggle tiger parts out of the country.

Lajunpa, who has been on Interpol’s wanted list, was denied bail when she appeared in court on Thursday.

Wildlife officials said Yang Chen’s arrest was a major breakthrough in India’s fight against poaching.

It is rare for women to be arrested for the illegal trade of animal body parts.

Police have been searching for Lajumba for years. She was arrested following a coordinated operation by the Madhya Pradesh Tiger Strike Force and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, the environment ministry said on Friday.

It added that Rajumba was a key member of an organized trafficking network with links to Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan and operating in several Indian cities, including Delhi.

Rajumba was arrested in 2017 but disappeared after being released on bail.

Another man charged at the time, Jai Tamang, who was arrested in 2015, told police he supplied Lachungpa with wildlife contraband in exchange for shelter.

Tiger parts are popular in China, where they are used in traditional medicine.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare said 26 cases of tiger poaching were recorded in 2024, compared with 56 the previous year.

But it added that “many more” tigers may have been poached, as many were found dead with no evidence of poaching.