CHENNAI: The customs officials at the Chennai airport seized exotic wildlife species from a passenger who arrived from Bangkok on Thursday. This is the second attempt to smuggle in wildlife from Thailand this year.
As many as 15 kingsnakes, five ball pythons, two aldabra tortoises and one De Brazza monkey, hidden in boxes inside the checked-in luggage, were recovered by the customs officials based on a tip-off.
The live animals were deported back to Bangkok by Thai Airways flight after monitoring their health. This is the second such seizure since May, which indicates trafficking of wildlife species possibly for illegal pet trade has resumed in the city after a hiatus due to Covid regulations.
The man who smuggled them was identified as Mohammed Shahiel, an Indian national. During questioning, he admitted that a stranger handed him the bag and told him to give it to a man in Chennai upon arrival.
Customs officials said they received information that a Thai national was carrying the animals, but ended up detecting the species in the baggage of an Indian. However, he was not arrested since the value of wildlife species could not be estimated. The passenger did not carry any valid DGFT licence or advance NOC issued by AQCS (Animal Quarantine & Certification Services), the Ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, said a statement.
Customs officials are investigating who the exotic species were destined for.
K R Uday Bhaskar, principal commissioner, Chennai Customs, said the species were identified with the help of wildlife crime bureau officials and were fed. "They were sent back because they will find it difficult to survive here," said the official.
In May, customs officials seized an albino porcupine, a tamarin monkey and nine leucistic sugar gliders from two passengers who arrived from Bangkok and those species too were flown back to Thailand. However, no arrests were made in the case.
There is a lack of follow-up by law enforcement agencies in such cases. Air customs officials often restrict their activities to the purview of the Customs Act unless they get major clues about the network.