Several wildlife species, including marmosets, red-handed tamarins, tricoloured-squirrels and iguanas were seized by Customs officials at the Chennai International Airport. The officials acted on information that the animals were being brought in from Bangkok.
A special alert and vigil were maintained by Air Intelligence officials to catch the smuggler.
AIU officers, on Tuesday, noticed that one passenger in the arrival area was moving in a rather suspicious manner. The man hurried towards the exit after collecting his check-in baggage. He was intercepted at the exit.
Four plastic baskets and a small cardboard box was found among belongings of the passenger who as identified as Suresh, age 35.
The plastic containers and cardboard box contained species of monkeys, rodents, and reptiles. On questioning, he informed that the stroller bag was given to him by someone outside Bangkok airport with instructions to hand over the same to an unknown individual outside Chennai airport.
He was then taken outside the airport, where the person who approached him for the bag was apprehended. The animals have been identified as two Marmoset monkeys, three Red handed Tamarins— both native to South and Central America; rodents, two Prevosts tricolour squirrels, 12 Iguanas, two black and red eastern gray squirrels — all native to Eastern and North America. Some of these animals were dead.
The Animal Quarantine Officials further recommended that the animals be sent back to the country of origin as Suresh did not possess a NOC/DGFT license for them to be imported to India.
A team of Veterinary doctors were called from Arignar Anna Zoological Park who inspected and found that rest of the animals were in healthy condition.
The wild-life species were seized under the provisions of Customs Act 1962 read with FT (D&R) Act. Three persons have been have been detained in relation to the case. The seized primates, rodents and reptiles will be deported to Bangkok.
