Cachar [Assam], October 19 (HornbillTV): As many as 13 exotic animals were recovered in Assam’s Cachar district along the Assam-Mizoram border, officials said on Wednesday.

According to forest officials, the animals were found caged in three boxes in a tea garden area.

“These animals were smuggled across the border,” Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), (Cachar) Tejas Mariswami told ANI.

The officials have recovered Moor Macaque, Spot Nosed Guenon Debrazza’s monkey species.

“We have recovered 7 Moor Macaque, five Lesser Spot Nosed Guenon and one Debrazza’s monkey species,” the DFO Cachar district said.

According to reports, locals initially spotted the exotic animals in the Derby tea garden area and informed forest officials.

A forest department staff of the Cachar district said that when locals informed the forest department that some monkeys were found in the tea garden they rushed to the spot.

“We recovered the monkeys caged in three boxes. We recovered 13 monkeys from the area. We will send the monkeys to the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati,” the forest department staff said.

Earlier on October 15, Mizoram police and Champhai Excise & Narcotics department recovered 140 exotic animals and birds from three vehicles in Mizoram’s Champhai district.