Snakes on a plane: Man caught with highly venomous vipers, five turtles at Mumbai airport

Among these snakes were three Spider-tailed horned vipers, highly venomous and targeting only small prey like birds, as well as five Asian leaf turtles.

Published on: Jun 2, 2025, 10:44:03 IST

By HT News Desk

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A man at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, after arriving from Thailand, was caught carrying 48 venomous snakes and five turtles, a customs official said.

Three Spider-tailed horned vipers, which are highly venomous, were also seized. (X/@mumbaicus3)

The passenger was intercepted by customs officials on Saturday night after he got down from a Bangkok-originated flight, news agency PTI reported.

After discovering the 48 highly venomous viper snakes and five turtles, a team from Resqink Association for Wildfire Welfare assisted in the identification and handling of these species, he added.

ALSO READ | 36 endangered reptiles seized at Mumbai airport

Among these snakes were three Spider-tailed horned vipers, highly venomous and targeting only small prey like birds, as well as five Asian leaf turtles, an AFP report said.

As per the provisions under the Wildlife Protection Act, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau ordered that the reptiles be sent back to the country from which they were brought.

Snakes are comparatively an unusual seizure by customs in Mumbai, as officials more often catch gold smuggling, cash, or drugs swallowed by passengers.

Earlier in February, a smuggler with five Siamang gibbons, a small ape native to the forests of Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, was caught by customs officials at Mumbai airport.

ALSO READ | Custom officers seize 5.75 kg Gold at Mumbai Airport; 2 arrested

Customs officials said that those small creatures, which are designated 'endangered' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, were "ingeniously concealed" in a plastic crate inside the passenger's suitcase.

Just weeks ago, Mumbai customs officials seized gold and foreign currency worth nearly ₹1 crore at the airport.

ALSO READ | After Ranya Rao bust in Bengaluru, ₹8.47 crore gold seized at Mumbai airport

The gold weighed 0.247 kg, valued at ₹21.96 lakh, and foreign currency equivalent to ₹76.23 lakh. A release from the Finance Ministry said that one passenger was also arrested under the Customs Act, 1962.

The seizures were made across two cases. Based on profiling, custom officers intercepted two passengers arriving in Mumbai from Bahrain and Daman, recovering a 24-karat gold bar having a net weight of 247 grams.

Another passenger was leaving from Mumbai for Bangkok and just while he was leaving, customs officials caught him with foreign currency USD 90,000 equivalent to ₹76.23 lakh.

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HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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