Endangering wild animals being smuggled seized in CSMIA

The seized animals belong to species that are listed as endangered as per the Convention on International Trade and Schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act

Mumbai: The Airport Commissionerate of Mumbai Customs foiled two bids to smuggle wild animals via the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Thursday and Friday, and seized a haul of wild animals including meerkats, great billed parrots, moluccan parrots, sumatran striped rabbits. The seized animals belong to species that are listed as endangered as per the Convention on International Trade and Schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act, said an official. Two international passengers were arrested in connection with the seizures.

Box turtle

A press note issued by Customs said, “The officers at the airport recovered three meerkats (two alive and one dead), two great billed parrots or moluccan parrots, two Sumatran striped rabbits and an Indochinese box turtle from a passenger who flew in from Bangkok on Thursday. The passenger was arrested under the Wildlife protection Act, 1972 and Indian Customs Act.”

In the second case, a person travelling from Bangkok to Mumbai on Friday was arrested when he was found smuggling two Sumatran striped rabbits (one dead), a dead great billed parrot and one Indochinese box turtle. The animals being smuggled into India were found concealed in a green-coloured trolley bag. Proceedings against the passenger have been initiated as per the provisions of Customs Act, 1962 read with Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the press note said.

A wildlife rescue expert team from RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare) assisted the officials in ensuring the safety and stabilization of the animals, said Pawan Sharma, founder of RAWW.

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau ordered the deportation of these rescued animals to the country from which they arrived, an official said.