In a first for India, smuggled exotic wildlife rescued at Bengaluru airport sent back to Thailand

These included an alligatoroid species called caimans, venomous monocled cobras, pythons, chameleons, tortoises, lizards, and also a dead baby kangaroo. The baby kangaroo had possibly died due to suffocation inside the suitcase. This was the first time monocled cobras were rescued while being smuggled into India.

All the animals and reptiles were stuffed inside plastic containers and plastic bags, Air Customs officials said.

Soon after the arrest of the accused, the wildlife consignment was handed over to Forest Department officials, who facilitated the return of the consignment to Thailand from the airport itself by another flight on Tuesday.

“The amended Wildlife Act of 2022 now empowers Customs officers under Section 50 with powers to search and seize CITES species and arrest offenders,” Wildlife First trustee former National Board for Wildlife member Praveen Bhargav told South First.

“Further, as per Section 49Q (2), when a living specimen of a species listed in the CITES Appendices, included in the new Schedule IV, is seized under the amended Wildlife Act or Customs Act, the CITES Management Authority shall, after consultation with the country of export, return the specimen to that country at the expense of that country or ensure that it is housed and cared for by a recognised zoo or Rescue Centre,” he added.

“The offenders involved have to be prosecuted under Section 49H and penalties under Section 51 involve three to seven years’ imprisonment for Appendix I species,” said Bhargav.

Before the amendment, exotic foreign wildlife species rescued from smugglers would be sent to their respective rehabilitation centres.

For example, a foreign exotic wildlife animal rescued at the Bengaluru International Airport would be sent to the Bannerghatta Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre (BRRC).

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The catching

Around 10.30 pm on Tuesday night, AIU sleuths at the Bengaluru International Airport manning the international arrival area grew suspicious of a particular male passenger who was carrying a trolley suitcase and had come through the green channel.

Smuggled Pythons

The green channel is usually a route at the airport that is dedicated to international passengers with no goods that they need to declare as duty-bound or prohibited goods.

The AIU officials intercepted the passenger, checked his suitcase, and found exotic wildlife in it. They also found an unclaimed trolley suitcase inside the same flight which was similar to the man’s trolley suitcase. It, too, contained exotic wildlife.

The passenger had arrived in Bengaluru on AirAsia flight no FD 137, which took off from Bangkok in Thailand.

The passenger told the AIU officials that he was unaware of what was inside the trolley suitcase, and that he was instructed by his seniors to hand them over to a person in Bengaluru.

The man, whose name was withheld by the Customs, is a resident of Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu, sources said.

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The official statement

Smuggled venomous monocled cobras

An official release from the Customs at the Bengaluru International Airport stated: “On the basis of profiling of passengers arriving from Bangkok by Flight No. FD 137 at 10.30 pm, Bengaluru Air Customs booked a case of smuggling of wild animals.”

It added: “One passenger was intercepted while he was crossing the green channel and was approaching the exit gate of the international arrival area. The passenger was found to be carrying wild animals concealed in his trolley bag. Further one unclaimed bag from the same flight was found to be having wild animals.”

The Customs also said in the release: “A total of 234 wild animals — including python, chameleon, iguana, turtles, alligators, and one dead baby kangaroo — were found concealed in the said two trolley bags.”

It noted: “Some of the said animals are listed in the appendices of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).”

The Customs release added that the passenger had been placed under arrest according to Section 104 of the Customs Act of 1962, while the rescued wild animals had been seized under Section 110 of the Act. “Further investigation is under process,” it added.