The protection unit of Kerman’s Department of Environment arrested members of a notorious poaching gang in southern Iran, dealing a major blow to the criminal enterprise. According to IRNA, the protection unit became aware of the existence and illicit activities of the gang a few months ago, and following meticulous investigation and careful planning they made arrests. The gang’s activities extended across three provinces: Fars, Kerman and Hormozgan. While searching a car belonging to the poachers, officers found three slain chinkaras and cellphones. In the court, the poachers confessed to killing the chinkaras, but provided authorities with wrong passwords to their cellphones. It took the cyber police FATA one week to crack the phone. Once the officers gained access to the phones, they found pictures of gang members posing with their hunts. Information retrieved from the phones indicates the group has been active for several years.
