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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
9 cases of wildlife smuggling unearthed at Mumbai Airport in 6 months
MUMBAI: With nine cases of wildlife smuggling being unearthed at Mumbai Airport since February this year, the city, which was a major hub of this sort of contraband in the 1990s, is fast regaining the unsavoury title. Wildlife activists say that many more cases may have gone unnoticed. 9 cases of wildlife smuggling unearthed at Mumbai Airport in 6 months From Meerkats to Star Tortoises and different kinds of lizards, all kinds of exotic species are being smuggled into Mumbai. The Customs department and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau have now taken the decision to immediately deport them after giving them the necessary medical care. An orangutan smuggled and found last year in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is still in the Nagpur zoo. Two of the largest seizures happened on July 10 and 11 when Meerkats, Sumatran Rabbits, Great-Billed Parrots and Indo-Chinese Box Turtles were confiscated at Mumbai Airport. The wildlife species were with two Indian passengers caught by Customs coming by two separate flights. A senior Customs officer posted in Mumbai said, 'We nab such people on suspicion or when we have information. But these transporters are not the real brains behind the racket. They are merely poor people who carry them, and when we catch them, the court gives us custody for a day or two.' In the 1990s, Mumbai was a prime centre for wildlife trade, with the forest department often making huge hauls such as 3,000 Star Tortoises at one time. Former principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Nitin Kakodkar worked as the deputy conservator of forests (wildlife) in the mid-1990s. The smuggling had stopped when he took over. Kakodkar said that there were people in big cities who probably had a penchant for doing something out of the ordinary such as keeping exotic animals as pets. 'Much wider publicity is needed to curb this,' he said. 'People need to be made aware that this is a wildlife offence involving major punishment.' Deputy director Yogesh Warkad of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau pointed to the rising seriousness of the illegal trade, saying, 'It is very rare to see Meerkats smuggled here. But we saw these in our last raid. This kind of smuggling takes place on demand. Many of the smugglers get these exotic animals to breed them and sell the offspring. At times, they do business on WhatsApp, but if they use YouTube or Instagram to sell the animals, they get caught.' Warkad said that in certain countries, there were very few restrictions on the sale of exotic animals or what is termed as wildlife in India. 'There is very little checking at Thai or Malaysian airports, but they are caught by Customs in Mumbai,' he said. 'As per our Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the sale and trade of such wildlife is banned. Such trade is also banned as per the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.' Warkad said that the smugglers chose the air route for a reason. 'If the animals are sent by sea, it is not possible to feed them for so many days, and they die,' he said. 'Air is the quickest mode. Most of the trade comes from Bangkok, where there is no restriction on the sale of many exotic animals. The smugglers put the animals into their luggage, which is horrible. We deport 90 per cent of the wildlife, but some animals die.' Wildlife experts expressed concern about the situation. Aneesh Andheria of the non-profit Wildlife Conservation Trust said, 'The pet trade of wildlife is highly injurious to global biodiversity, as in order to accomplish an order of one wild pet, seven to eight animals lose their life (in the trapping process or during transit). The recent spate of confiscations suggests that India is an important consumer country. However, there is enough evidence to show that many species of Indian wildlife from insects to reptiles to fish and carnivores are smuggled out in larger numbers.' When the Customs department catches the traffickers , the animals are dehydrated or suffocated. To handle this, on most occasions the department calls Pawan Sharma of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW). 'Trafficking of exotic wildlife has been on the rise in recent years, especially after the amendment of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, in 2022, after which the non-native species listed in CITES were also included in Schedule IV,' he told Hindustan Times. 'These animals are stuffed into luggage, due to which many of them die of suffocation and many others are injured and infected. The harsh reality and cruelty behind the exotic wildlife we watch on social media and the internet is often unseen. As first respondents, we have seen animals covered with their own and other animals' faeces, suffocated in small containers, and distressed and injured.' Sharma added that surprisingly, there was also a rise in wild-caught specimens rather than the bred species being smuggled. 'This is again a matter of great concern,' he said, 'and raises questions about the security and protection of these species in the wild.'
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Sea fan, pearl conch, genital of monitor lizard, boar tusks seized in Kolkata; 2 held
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau apprehended two people and seized sea fans, pearl conches, genitals of monitor lizards and wild boar tusks from a shop in Kolkata's Burrabazar area during a raid on Wednesday night, officials said. Sea fans. (File Photo) Around 250 sea fans, 60 genitals of male monitor lizards, 24 tusks of wild boars and five pearl conches were seized from the shop, they said. The dried genitals of the monitor lizard were to be sold off as 'hatha jodi', the officials said. 'Hath jod' or 'hatha jodi' literally means clasped hands. It is the root of a rare plant which many believe brings good luck. However, they said what is usually sold in the market in the name of 'hatha jodi' are dried genitals of male monitor lizards — a species that is protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. 'The items were found during a raid at a shop dealing in puja items in the Burrabazar area. Two persons were held in this regard. They are the owners of the shop and residents of Hooghly district,' officials said. Sea fans (a type of coral), pearl conch and wild boars are all protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Silvered leaf monkey, cuscuses seized at Kolkata airport
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolkata: In the third seizure of rare and exotic animals at Kolkata airport since this Feb, a silvery lutung or silvered leaf monkey — an old-world monkey native to Sumatra, Borneo and Java — and a pair of common spotted cuscuses — a nocturnal marsupial found in Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands — were seized by Customs Air Intelligence Unit early on Thursday. Later, teams from the West Bengal forest department and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) reached the spot for identification and handling of the animals. A 35-year-old woman from north Kolkata has been detained in this connection. Sources said the consignment came on an Indigo flight from Bangkok. "The animals were brought in baskets meant for carrying garments for babies. Hence, it was initially getting difficult to have a closer look at the animals for identification," said an official. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata On June 27, two cuscuses — that look like slow loris — were seized at Kolkata airport. This Feb, two critically endangered red-shanked doucs, found only in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos were seized by Customs officials at Kolkata airport. Silvery lutung, said sources, is an old-world monkey. It is arboreal, living in coastal, mangrove, and riverine forests in Sumatra, Borneo, Java, as well as in parts of the southwestern Malay Peninsula, the Natuna Islands, and other nearby islands. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Pieces of Clothing you should Ditch over 40 Learn More Undo The silvery lutung is classified as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List. Its habitat is heavily threatened throughout its range by logging and the development of oil palm plantations. It is also threatened by hunting for meat and by capture for the pet trade. Cuscuses are slow-moving animals often found foraging on leaves, plants, and sometimes even catching birds and lizards. They are known for their long fur and large eyes. During the seizure in June, it couldn't be identified if it was a Waigeou cuscus or a common spotted cuscus. The officials of animal husbandry and dairying, animal quarantine and certification services, had issued orders in June as well as in Feb so that the seized animals could be deported to their country of origin. An official from the dept on Thursday said a process was on to identify the species. "A decision on their deportation will follow accordingly," he said.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Time of India
Parts of endangered species seized in raid on astrologer's office in Faridabad
Gurgaon: Multiple pieces of Seafan, a type of protected soft coral commonly marketed under the name "Indrajaal", and the genital organs of Monitor Lizards — these were among the recoveries made on Wednesday at the office of an astrologer, who was allegedly promoting their sale and use through his Instagram account. These species enjoy the highest level of protection and any trade or possession is a serious offence under Indian wildlife law. In a crackdown on illegal wildlife trade linked to occult practices, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), along with the Haryana forest department, raided the office of Yagya Dutt Sharma (38) in Faridabad's Sector 7 on Wednesday and seized parts of the endangered species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Sharma has been arrested. Acting on digital surveillance and social media monitoring, the WCCB tracked Sharma through his Instagram account, where he was allegedly promoting the sale and use of "Indrajaal" for its supposed spiritual or astrological benefits. Investigators found that the wildlife items were being sold in sets — five pieces of Seafan and three pieces of Monitor Lizard organs — purportedly for ritualistic purposes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Lợi ích khi giao dịch CFD Bitcoin IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon An FIR was registered in Sector 8 Faridabad police station. Divisional forest officer (DFO), wildlife, RK Jangra said, "The astrologer has been arrested. The seized items are derivatives of Schedule I species. Possession, trade or use of such items is punishable with imprisonment of up to seven years. We received the alert from WCCB and promptly formed a joint team to conduct the raid."
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Time of India
Gibbons smuggled from Bangkok seized
Chennai: Gibbons seem to be wildlife traffickers' latest favourite as customs sleuths thwarted their second bid in two weeks to smuggle them via Chennai airport from Thailand. On Tuesday, customs officers intercepted an Indian flyer and found the animals inside two pet bags concealed in checked-in luggage beneath chocolates and other food items. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau officers, who identified the monkeys as an agile gibbon (hylobates agilis) and an eastern grey gibbon (hylobates funereus), provided suitable care. The monkeys were deported on the same flight back to Thailand, and the flyer was remanded in judicial custody. Customs sources said that the flyer was a carrier engaged by a smuggler, and further investigation is ongoing to ascertain the latter's identity. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai Customs officials, however, believe that there might be specific demand for these two monkeys, as they seized the same gibbon breeds on June 18 from a flyer who arrived from Thailand. Both gibbon varieties, in high demand in the international pet trade, are endangered. The agile gibbon is on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Sources in WCCB said that as a policy, they must not reveal the value of such species in the illegal pet trade, but added that gibbons are smuggled in high numbers to Chennai and Bengaluru to cater to the demand. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Previously, customs officers seized four gibbons in March that were smuggled from Kuala Lumpur, but two were found dead. In 2024, customs busted two attempts to smuggle five gibbons. Meanwhile, customs officers also seized 700g of gold from three different flyers. On June 30, customs officers secured a flyer at the domestic terminal at Chennai airport. He travelled from Dubai to Dhaka, then to Kolkata, and reached Chennai by an Indigo flight. About 409g of gold he had hidden in his rectum was seized. On Tuesday, a flyer from Singapore was secured for smuggling 150g of gold, and on Wednesday, another flyer from Dubai was caught with another 150g of gold.
