The Bengal forest department arrested three men and seized two pairs of antlers from them in Jalpaiguri district on Wednesday night.

The trio, the foresters said, had planned to smuggle the antlers, which are believed to be barking deer, into Nepal.

Sources said the foresters had nabbed a person with six antlers from Farabari, located near the Baikunthapur forest and on the outskirts of Siliguri, in November last year.

The foresters came to know that a gang involved in the smuggling of wild animal parts was active in the region.

On Wednesday, officers of the Ambari forest range under the Baikunthapur forest division came to know that members of the gang were roaming around with some wild animal parts and searching for prospective buyers.

Alamgir Haque, the range officer of Ambari, posed as a potential buyer and contacted the gang members. He was told to reach Fatapukur in Rajganj block of Jalpaiguri district in the evening.

“Accordingly, the officer and his team reached Fatapukur. Soon, the trio turned up on a three-wheeler, carrying two pairs of antlers in a bag. Our men immediately apprehended them and seized the antlers, which we suspect are of barking deer,” said a forest officer.

The barking deer, he said, is an endangered species and selling its body parts is prohibited under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

“The deer horns have huge demand in some southeast Asian countries. These are mostly used for interior decorations,” said a source.