Gibbon, monkey, hornbill: What Bengaluru customs seized from Bangkok flyers at Kempegowda International Airport

In a significant crackdown, Bengaluru customs seized exotic wildlife and narcotics from passengers arriving from Bangkok at the Kempegowda International Airport

Published on: Nov 11, 2025, 08:17:10 IST

By Yamini C S

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In a fresh development, Bengaluru Customs officials have arrested three passengers arriving from Bangkok at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in two separate incidents involving the smuggling of exotic wildlife and narcotics. The seizures and arrests took place on November 9, officials confirmed on Monday.

Two separate incidents on November 9 led to the arrest of three individuals at Bengaluru airport, who were caught smuggling various species of wildlife as well as narcotic substances. (HT Photo/Representative image)

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In the first case, two passengers arriving from Bangkok were intercepted by Customs officers during routine checks at KIA. Upon inspection, officials discovered several exotic wildlife species hidden in their luggage, including a white-cheeked gibbon, a monkey, and a hornbill. These animals are protected under international and Indian wildlife conservation laws.

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The passengers were immediately detained, and the seized species were handed over to the concerned authorities for further examination and care, customs officials said in an X post. They also confirmed that both individuals were arrested under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

“On 09.11.2025, #BengaluruCustoms officers at KIA, Bengaluru, intercepted two passengers arriving from Bangkok and seized exotic wildlife species including white-Cheeked Gibbon, Monkey and Horn-bill. The pax have been arrested under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,” the X post noted.

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In a separate operation carried out on the same day, Customs officials intercepted another passenger who had also arrived from Bangkok. A thorough examination of his baggage led to the recovery of 2.99 kilograms of hydroponic ganja, an illegally cultivated high-grade form of cannabis. The seized narcotics were estimated to be worth ₹1.04 crore in the illicit market. Following the discovery, the passenger was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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