Mumbai Airport Customs Arrest 2 Individuals For Smuggling Exotic Wildlife From Bangkok At CSMIA; 115 Green Iguanas, Rare Species Seized

Mumbai: The Mumbai Airport Customs officials have arrested two persons for allegedly smuggling wildlife animals from Bangkok.

In a major crackdown, acting on specific input, on Wednesday, the Air Intelligence Unit of CSMI Airport, Mumbai Customs, intercepted two Indian nationals at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, who had arrived from Bangkok.

Upon examination of their baggage, customs officials recovered live and dead exotic wildlife animals concealed in their personal belongings.

The recovered species included two Sumantran Striped Rabbit (Nesolagus netscheri), one Waigeo Spotted Cuscus (Spilocuscus papuensis), three Brown Basilisk Lizard (Basiliscus vittatus) (2 alive, 1 dead) and 115 Green Iguana (Iguana spp.).

“Waigeo Spotted Cuscus” and “Green Iguana” covered under Appendix-II of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, officials said.

With help of an NGO customs officials secured the recovered animals and deported them to their origin country after obtaining necessary deportation orders from the Animal Quarantine Department. Both the individuals have been arrested under the Customs Act and the Wildlife (Protection) Act and further investigation is underway to trace other involved individuals in wildlife trafficking.