The Odisha crime branch has busted a pangolin smuggling racket and rescued a pangolin near Rajakothi in Subarnapur district, around 280km from here.

Two people were arrested in this connection.

The Indian pangolin species has been listed as “endangered” by the International Union of Conservation of Nature.

Its scales are used in some traditional medicines.

A team of the special task force raided the hideout and seized pangolin scales weighing 5.65kg from them.