Over 3,500 mongoose hair brushes seized after raids in four states

NEW DELHI: More than 3,500 brushes made from mongoose hair have been seized from 13 different locations across the country, after the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau with the help of the Wildlife Trust of India, carried out raids across four states — Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. The brushes were being manufactured in these ‘hubs’ before being sold across the country and even exported.

Mongoose are listed under schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 — making their hunting, possession, transportation and trade a punishable offence. The brushes have a huge demand internationally as well, owing to the fine quality of hair as it is long lasting, and does not sag or go brittle over the years.

The hair is sold in kilos at times with the price range varying between Rs 3,000 to 5,000 per kilo. To circumvent the law, the brushes are often labelled as Indian sable, kolinsky, badger, pony, kevin or natural hair brushes, while they are referred to as ‘kevrin’ brushes abroad.