Indian Man Nabbed for Smuggling 100 Exotic Animals from Thailand

Indian customs authorities recently confiscated approximately 100 unusual creatures, such as lizards, sunbirds, and arboreal possums, from a traveler entering India from Thailand. Officials described this incident as a significant operation against wildlife trafficking.

The customs officials mentioned that the traveler, who additionally had two tarantulas and tortoises with them, showed indications of being anxious upon arriving in Mumbai, which is India’s economic hub.

Following an incident where a passenger was caught attempting to smuggle numerous venomous snakes, which occurred earlier in June and originated from Thailand, another seizure has taken place.

The wildlife confiscated consisted of iguanas, along with a kinkajou or honey bear — a small creature resembling a raccoon native to the rainforests of Mexico — as well as six sugar gliders, which are gliding possums found in Australia.

Images provided by the customs division depicted six sugar gliders clustered together inside a basket, along with a box stuffed full of lizards.

The Ministry of Finance reported in a statement late Monday that during a major operation, customs officials … stopped an individual from India …, resulting in the confiscation of various live and dead wild animals, including some species that are safeguarded by wildlife conservation regulations,

The wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC, dedicated to combating the illegal commerce of wild fauna and flora, issued a warning on Tuesday about an increasingly concerning pattern linked to the exotic pet market.

Over the past 3.5 years, more than 7,000 live and deceased animals were confiscated from flights between Thailand and India, according to reports.

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.

In early June, customs officials confiscated multiple snakes and several turtles from an individual traveling from Thailand who was identified as being Indian.

Included among these creatures were multiple spider-tailed horned vipers, a poisonous species first documented by researchers in 2006 and categorized as “near Threatened” by the IUCN.

According to TRAFFIC, their analysis indicated that although the majority of incidents involve wildlife being illegally transported out of Thailand, over 80% of seizures occurred in India.

“The frequent discoveries and variety of wildlife being transported towards India are deeply concerning,” stated Kanitha Krishnasamy, who leads TRAFFIC in Southeast Asia.

A significant number of those apprehended were still alive, indicating that the demand for unusual pets is fueling this commerce, she further noted.

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.

The tiny animals, which are classified as endangered by the IUCN, were reportedly “cleverly hidden” within a plastic container that was stashed inside the traveler’s rolling suitcase, according to officials from customs.

In November, officials discovered a passenger with a squirming live load of 12 turtles.