Snakes on a plane bound for India, again
"Customs officers... foiled yet another wildlife smuggling attempt, 16 live snakes... seized from passenger returning from Thailand," said customs officers in the airport in the Indian financial hub.
The passenger, who arrived on Sunday, has been arrested, the customs agency said in a statement, with "further investigation underway".
The live snakes included reptiles often sold in the pet trade, and were largely non-venomous, or with venom too weak to affect people.
They included garter snakes, a rhino rat snake and a Kenyan sand boa, among others.
In early June, customs officers stopped a passenger smuggling dozens of venomous vipers, also arriving from Thailand.
Days later, officers stopped another traveller carrying 100 creatures including lizards, sunbirds and tree-climbing possums.
Wildlife trade monitor TRAFFIC, which battles the smuggling of wild animals and plants, has warned of a "very troubling" trend in trafficking driven by the exotic pet trade.
More than 7,000 animals, dead and alive, have been seized along the Thailand-India air route in the last 3.5 years, it said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Observer
an hour ago
- Observer
India chemical factory blast toll rises to 36
Bengaluru: The death toll from a powerful explosion at an Indian chemical factory has risen to 36, as search and rescue operations continued for a second day Tuesday, officials said. The blast in Sangareddy in India's southern Telangana state on Monday turned parts of the building into rubble. Industrial disasters are common in India, with experts blaming poor planning and lax enforcement of safety rules. State Chief Minister Revanth Reddy visited the site on Tuesday, with a video released by his office showing piles of twisted metal in the wreckage of the factory. Reddy said there were 143 people at the factory when the explosion happened. "Rescue operations are going on" he told reporters, confirming that 36 people have died. "We fear that several people might be under the debris, and others might have run away". Reddy's office said a committee was investigating the cause of the explosion. "The incident has unfortunately resulted in the loss of human life," factory owner Sigachi Industries said in a statement. The company supplies pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics and chemical industries. This factory made components to help make medical pills.
Observer
a day ago
- Observer
India chemical factory blast kills at least 12
NEW DELHI: A powerful explosion at an Indian chemical factory killed at least 12 people and injured several others on Monday, turning chunks of the building into rubble, a fire officer said. "We have recovered 12 bodies so far," said B Nagehswara Rao, district fire official at the site of the blast in Sangareddy in India's southern Telangana state. "We are searching through the debris for more bodies." Industrial disasters are common in India, with experts blaming poor planning and lax enforcement of safety rules. Footage on Indian television showed plumes of black smoke soaring into the sky. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that the "death of several people has caused great distress". Vivek Venkataswamy, the state's labour minister, said that those injured were being treated, including some who had been "stuck under the debris". Venkataswamy said the cause of the explosion was being investigated. - AFP
Observer
a day ago
- Observer
Snakes on a plane bound for India, again
Indian customs officers in Mumbai said they have stopped a plane passenger arriving from Thailand with a wriggling cargo of live snakes, the third such seizure this month. "Customs officers... foiled yet another wildlife smuggling attempt, 16 live snakes... seized from passenger returning from Thailand," said customs officers in the airport in the Indian financial hub. The passenger, who arrived on Sunday, has been arrested, the customs agency said in a statement, with "further investigation underway". The live snakes included reptiles often sold in the pet trade, and were largely non-venomous, or with venom too weak to affect people. They included garter snakes, a rhino rat snake and a Kenyan sand boa, among others. In early June, customs officers stopped a passenger smuggling dozens of venomous vipers, also arriving from Thailand. Days later, officers stopped another traveller carrying 100 creatures including lizards, sunbirds and tree-climbing possums. Wildlife trade monitor TRAFFIC, which battles the smuggling of wild animals and plants, has warned of a "very troubling" trend in trafficking driven by the exotic pet trade. More than 7,000 animals, dead and alive, have been seized along the Thailand-India air route in the last 3.5 years, it said.
