Man smuggling 234 wild animals from Bangkok arrested at Bengaluru airport

The man was arrested by the Customs officials after landing at the Kempegowda airport after he was found smuggling the endangered animals in two trolley bags.

Bengaluru Rural: The Bengaluru Air Customs officials have arrested a passenger smuggling 234 endangered wild animals from Bangkok, officials said. Sources said that the arrest was made on the night of Aug. 21, Monday. It is learnt that the passenger landed at Devanahalli Kempegowda International Airport on the night of Aug. 21 on flight number FD-137 from Bangkok.

While the passenger was moving towards the departure gate of the airport's arrival area, he was stopped and checked by Bengaluru Air Customs officials. During the search of the baggage of the passenger, the Customs officials found that wild animals were being transported in two trolley bags, officials said. A total of 234 wild animals, including pythons, chameleons, iguanas, turtles, alligators, and a baby kangaroo, were found during the inspection of the passenger's trolley bags, Bengaluru Air Customs officials informed.

Some of the said animals are listed in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), he added. The passenger was arrested under Section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962, and the rescued wild animals were seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962.

A further investigation is in progress, Customs officials said.Recently a case of gold smuggling also came to light at Kempegowda International Airport. On Aug. 18, information was received that a passenger was transporting gold illegally on Emirates flight number 568 from Dubai. A passenger who had landed on a flight from Dubai was smuggling a gold nut bolt in his luggage bag.

Later, Bangalore Customs officials arrested the passenger and seized 267 grams of gold.