3 on Bangkok flight arrested with exotic animals at Delhi airport

They wanted to sell the wildlife in pet markets in Delhi. The wildlife will be kept at the airport temporarily before being sent back to Thailand

The customs department arrested three men at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport early on Sunday for trying to smuggle over 60 living rare animals into the country from Bangkok. The animals included a wide variety of snakes, lizards, millipedes and spider, all of which were intended to be sold at pet markets in the Capital, officials said.

The seized animals include five corn snakes, eight milk snakes, nine ball pythons, four bearded dragon lizards, 19 geckos including seven crested and 11 cameroon dwarf geckos, 14 millipedes and a spider species. (HT Photo)

The wildlife will be kept at the airport temporarily before being sent back to Thailand.

A senior customs official said the accused travelled in a direct flight from Bangkok to Delhi and landed at the airport’s terminal 3 at 1.35am. “They were called for a physical and baggage check. A scan revealed suspicious images and after the luggage was opened, living animals -- including exotic species -- were found inside,” a senior customs official said. Subsequently, the state forest department and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) were both alerted.

The seized animals include five corn snakes, eight milk snakes, nine ball pythons, four bearded dragon lizards, 19 geckos including seven crested and 11 cameroon dwarf geckos, 14 millipedes and a spider species, officials informed, adding that all of these, except the geckos and millipedes are exotic species.

A senior forest department official said they were informed at around 4am by the airport authorities and a team was formed for inspection.

“The team reached the airport soon after to check the condition of the trafficked wildlife. It was discovered that the animals were meant to be sold illegally here in India. The men told us that they were aiming to supply this to a pet shop,” a senior forest department official said, adding as per protocol, the exotic species will be sent back to the destination country.

“We have coordinated with wildlife authorities in Thailand. The men will be produced before a trial court and subsequent action will be initiated. In the meantime, the trafficked wildlife will be sent back to Thailand,” the forest official added.

The Wildlife Protection Act (Amended), 2022 also regulates exotic species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Under it, Schedule IV was added to list all such species, the trade or possession of which is illegal, unless there is prior permission.

Besides animals, wildlife trophies or items belonging to dead animals cannot be imported or exported, without due permission. Last month, a Canadian national was nabbed at the IGI Airport after he was found carrying the severed head of a baby crocodile. The man, during inspection had claimed he had purchased the item while he was in Bangkok.

In July last year, the Delhi Police had arrested a 38-year-old man in northeast Delhi’s Geeta colony, after he was found trying to smuggle over 100 turtle hatchlings – all meant to be sold in the black market for anywhere between ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 per turtle.