The Mumbai Airport Customs officers on Sunday arrested a man who had arrived from Bangkok for allegedly attempting to smuggle exotic wildlife animals. Customs officials recovered and seized Spider-Tailed Horned Vipers, Asian Leaf Turtles, and Indonesian Pit Vipers from the passenger's baggage.
According to Customs, based on specific intelligence, an Indian national arriving in Mumbai from Bangkok on Saturday was intercepted at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport. "Upon questioning, the passenger exhibited signs of nervousness. Further examination of his baggage revealed the presence of live wildlife animals," an official said.
The officials recovered and seized:
Three Spider-Tailed Horned Vipers (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides), listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Schedule IV of the newly amended Wildlife (Protection) Act.
Five Asian Leaf Turtles (Cyclemys dentata), also listed under Appendix II of CITES and Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
44 Indonesian Pit Vipers (Trimeresurus insularis), which are not listed under CITES.
A case was registered against the passenger under the Customs Act, and he was placed under arrest. The process of deporting the seized animals to their country of origin is underway. Customs officers have launched an investigation to identify the source of the wildlife and the intended recipient in Mumbai. Agency sources noted that such exotic species are sold at very high prices on the black market.
Notably, in February this year, Customs officers at CSMI Airport, based on passenger profiling, intercepted an individual arriving from Kuala Lumpur and recovered five Siamang Gibbons (Symphalangus syndactylus), listed in Appendix I of CITES and Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
