The Pune Customs officers arrested two passengers arriving from Bangkok and seized rare and exotic wildlife animals illegally brought into the country.
Acting on specific intelligence, the officers intercepted Zaheerabbas Aynal Mandal and Bhavesh Rameshbhai Solanki after they landed at the Pune International Airport (PNQ) on an Air India Express Flight on Monday.
Upon inspection, officers recovered a total of 20 exotic animals from their baggage, including 14 green tree pythons, of which 13 were found alive and one dead, four double-eyed fig parrots and two Sumatran striped rabbits.
"These species were brought into the country without proper documentation or requisite clearances. They are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972," an officer said.
A team of NGO RESQ Charitable Trust rushed to the airport and provided immediate medical care to the animals.
Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Neha Panchamiya, Founder and President, RESQ CT and Member, Maharashtra State Wildlife Board, said, "This seizure is a stark reminder of the growing threat posed by the illegal exotic pet trade. These animals, many of them rare and wild, are not souvenirs or status symbols. They belong in their native habitats, not smuggled in boxes and baskets. Every intercepted animal may be a win for enforcement, but it also represents a larger, silent crisis unfolding in the wild. I urge stronger vigilance, public awareness and coordinated efforts to dismantle this trade at its roots, because in the end, demand breeds supply."
Currently, the animals are at the Transit Treatment Center (TTC) in Bavdhan and will be deported in a day to Bangkok.
