Chennai Airport: Customs seize bags containing exotic animals like marmosets, corn snakes; check pictures

45 ball pythons, three marmosets, three star tortoises and eight corn snakes were recovered by the Customs department of Chennai Airport, the officials said on Monday.

According to the customs official, 45 ball pythons, three marmosets, three star tortoises and eight corn snakes were recovered after two unattended bags found near the baggage claim belt of a pax who arrived from Bangkok were examined on January 11.

It further said that the recovered wildlife species have been deported to Bangkok on January 12.

"The recovered wildlife species have been deported to Bangkok by FD-154 on 12.01.23 under the deportation order issued by the Department of Animal Quarantine and Certification Services," the customs official said.

Further investigation is under progress.

Chennai customs deports exotic animals to Bangkok

Chennai customs, taking to Twitter, said: "On 11.01.23, two un-attended bags found near baggage claim belt of a pax who arrived from Bangkok by FD-153 were examined by Customs. On examination, 45-Ball Pythons, 3-Marmoset, 3-Star Tortoise and 8-Corn Snakes were recovered. Further investigation is under progress.

"The recovered wild life species have been deported to Bangkok by FD-154 on 12.01.23 under the deportation order issued by the Department of Animal Quarantine & Certification Services," it added.

Customs had earlier seized foreign currency at Trichy Airport

Earlier on Sunday, Customs officials at Trichy international airport seized foreign currency of 29,950 Euros from a passenger about to board a flight, officials said on Sunday.

According to officials, the Air Intelligent Unit (AIU) of the customs department checked a male passenger who was about to board a Kuala Lumpur-bound Scoot Airlines via Singapore owing to suspicion on January 14. They found 29,950 Euros equivalent to Rs 25.8 lakh in Indian currency. According to officials, during the search, the foreign currency was found concealed in hand luggage.

"The seized foreign currency of 29,950 Euros equivalent to the Indian currency value of Rs 25.8 Lakhs was seized from a male passenger bound for Kuala Lumpur from Trichy via Singapore on January 14," officials said.

Published on: Monday, January 16, 2023, 08:07 PM IST