40 Rare Animals Stuffed In Trolley Bags Seized At Kempegowda International Airport In Bengaluru; Two Arrested

The animals including rare and endangered ones were found stuffed in two trolley bags belonging to two passengers, who have been arrested.

Bengaluru: In a major success against animal trafficking, customs officials arrested two passengers at the Kempegowda International Airport in Karnataka's Bengaluru and rescued 40 rare and endangered animals being smuggled into India, officials said.

It is understood that the accused passengers arrived at Devanahalli Kempegowda International Airport from Kuala Lumpur on November 12 on board flight number MH0192. Bengaluru Customs officials, who had received intelligence inputs about the smuggling, intercepted the passengers and detained them for interrogation. On checking the passengers' trolley bags, rare and endangered animals, meant to be smuggled into India were recovered as per an official.

Rare Animals Stuffed In Trolley Bags Seized At Kempegowda International Airport In Bengaluru (ETV Bharat)

While 24 animals including Aldabra giant tortoises, red-legged tortoises, lizards, shingleback skinks, juvenile rhinoceros iguanas, albino bats were recovered from one bag, and in the second bag 16 animals including lutino iguanas, agile gibbons, baby American alligators, baby leopard tortoises, red-legged tortoises were recovered by the Customs officials. The two passengers were arrested under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962 and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and produced in the court which sent them to 15 days judicial custody as per an official.

Rare Animals Stuffed In Trolley Bags Seized At Kempegowda International Airport In Bengaluru (ETV Bharat)

It can be recalled that a similar animal trafficking bid was foiled at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru in September last year when the Customs officials had, in a similar fashion seized king cobras, ball pythons, and capuchin monkeys, all protected species and smuggled into the country from Thailand. The animals were found stuffed in the check-in baggage on Thai AirAsia's flight number FD 137 belonging to an unidentified passenger from Thailand.