Mumbai: The Customs officials arrested a passenger arriving from Bangkok at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMI), Mumbai, on Saturday for attempting to smuggle live wildlife.
The passenger, identified as Sharukkhan Mohammed Hassian, was found concealing live animals inside a trolley bag. Upon inspection, officials recovered two Kinkajous (Potos flavus), two Pygmy Marmosets (Cebuella sp.), and 50 Albino Red-Eared Sliders, as reported by news agency IANS.
The Kinkajous and Pygmy Marmosets are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and also listed under India’s Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. At the same time, the Albino Red-Eared Sliders are not listed under CITES or the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
According to the report, Sharukkhan Mohammed Hassian was arrested under the Customs Act, 1962, and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Further investigation is underway.
Mumbai Airport Customs Seize ₹2.78 Crore Gold From Airline Staffer, ₹1 Crore Drugs From Passenger
In two separate operations, Mumbai Airport Customs officials confiscated 3 kilograms of gold valued at Rs 2.78 crore, allegedly smuggled by an airline employee and narcotics worth approximately Rs 1 crore.
According to customs officials, the airline staffer was intercepted on Thursday following specific intelligence. The 24-karat gold, in dust form mixed with wax, was discovered concealed within innerwear using a specially-designed belt. The smuggled gold had been shaped into six capsule-like units, a customs officer revealed.
In another incident, a passenger arriving from Bangkok was apprehended, and a green-coloured substance suspected to be hydroponic marijuana (weed) was found. The seized contraband, weighing 947 grams, had been packed in vacuum-sealed plastic pouches and hidden inside a trolley bag.
