Indian smuggler stopped with possums, lizards, tarantulas
The man had almost 100 animals, including tarantula spiders, with him when he was caught. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ST FILE
MUMBAI - Indian customs officers made the latest 'significant' seizure of endangered wildlife from a passenger arriving from Thailand, a government statement said, carrying nearly 100 animals including lizards, sunbirds and tree-climbing possums.
Customs officers said the passenger, who was also carrying two tarantula spiders and tortoises, had 'exhibited signs of nervousness' on arrival at India's financial capital Mumbai.
Wildlife seized included iguanas, as well as a kinkajou or honey bear – a small raccoon-like animal from Mexico's rainforests – as well as six 'sugar gliders', a gliding possum found in Australia.
Photographs released by the customs unit showed the six sugar gliders huddled together in a basket, as well as a box crammed with lizards.
'In a significant operation, customs officers... intercepted an Indian national... leading to the seizure of multiple live and deceased wildlife species, some of which are protected under wildlife protection laws', the Ministry of Finance said in a statement late on June 9.
Wildlife trade monitor Traffic, which battles the smuggling of wild animals and plants, on June 10 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.
Customs officers at Mumbai airport are more used to seizing smuggled gold, cash or cannabis – but instances of wildlife seizure have seen a gradual rise recently.
Customs officers seized dozens of snakes and several turtles from an Indian national flying from Thailand earlier in June.
Among them were several spider-tailed horned vipers, a venomous species only described by scientists in 2006 and classed as 'near-threatened' by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Traffic said its analysis showed that while most cases involve animals smuggled out of Thailand, more than 80 per cent of interceptions happened in India.
'The almost-weekly discoveries and diversity of wildlife en-route to India is very troubling,' said Traffic's South-east Asia director Kanitha Krishnasamy.
Many of those captured were alive, which 'shows that the clamour for exotic pets is driving the trade', she added.
In February, customs officials at Mumbai airport also stopped a smuggler with five Siamang gibbons, a small ape native to the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Those small creatures, listed as endangered by the IUCN, were 'ingeniously concealed' in a plastic crate placed inside the passenger's trolley bag, customs officers said.
In November, authorities found a passenger carrying a wriggling live cargo of 12 turtles. AFP
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The man had almost 100 animals, including tarantula spiders, with him when he was caught. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ST FILE MUMBAI - Indian customs officers made the latest 'significant' seizure of endangered wildlife from a passenger arriving from Thailand, a government statement said, carrying nearly 100 animals including lizards, sunbirds and tree-climbing possums. Customs officers said the passenger, who was also carrying two tarantula spiders and tortoises, had 'exhibited signs of nervousness' on arrival at India's financial capital Mumbai. Wildlife seized included iguanas, as well as a kinkajou or honey bear – a small raccoon-like animal from Mexico's rainforests – as well as six 'sugar gliders', a gliding possum found in Australia. Photographs released by the customs unit showed the six sugar gliders huddled together in a basket, as well as a box crammed with lizards. 'In a significant operation, customs officers... intercepted an Indian national... leading to the seizure of multiple live and deceased wildlife species, some of which are protected under wildlife protection laws', the Ministry of Finance said in a statement late on June 9. Wildlife trade monitor Traffic, which battles the smuggling of wild animals and plants, on June 10 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. Customs officers at Mumbai airport are more used to seizing smuggled gold, cash or cannabis – but instances of wildlife seizure have seen a gradual rise recently. Customs officers seized dozens of snakes and several turtles from an Indian national flying from Thailand earlier in June. Among them were several spider-tailed horned vipers, a venomous species only described by scientists in 2006 and classed as 'near-threatened' by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Traffic said its analysis showed that while most cases involve animals smuggled out of Thailand, more than 80 per cent of interceptions happened in India. 'The almost-weekly discoveries and diversity of wildlife en-route to India is very troubling,' said Traffic's South-east Asia director Kanitha Krishnasamy. Many of those captured were alive, which 'shows that the clamour for exotic pets is driving the trade', she added. In February, customs officials at Mumbai airport also stopped a smuggler with five Siamang gibbons, a small ape native to the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Those small creatures, listed as endangered by the IUCN, were 'ingeniously concealed' in a plastic crate placed inside the passenger's trolley bag, customs officers said. In November, authorities found a passenger carrying a wriggling live cargo of 12 turtles. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
