Jaipur: Officials of the Customs Department on Friday arrested two passengers from Bangkok at the Jaipur International Airport for trying to smuggle exotic snakes, insects and spiders into the country.
The creatures were kept in small packets. As per senior veterinarian Dr Arvind Mathur, hundreds of exotic reptiles, spiders and other insects were recovered from the accused who had arrived at the airport from Bangkok in an Air Asia flight. On receiving information, a team of the Forest Department reached the airport on the direction of DFO Vijaypal Singh. It was discovered that most of the creatures were from North and South America.
The insects and reptiles that were recovered include thousands of newborn babies of corn snake, Mexican milk snake, Mexican black king snake, California king snake, desert king snake, green iguana, Queens monitor lizard, Finlayson squirrel and tarantulas. Members of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau also reached the spot. However, as no Indian species were being smuggled, a case could not be registered under Wildlife Act. The officials said the creatures recovered at the airport will be sent back.
The officials at the airport, based on intelligence inputs, detained and questioned the passengers and during search of their luggage, several plastic boxes containing snakes, insects and other reptiles were found. The Customs and the Forest Department are investigating the matter. Efforts are on to ascertain from where the creatures were procured and where were they supposed to be developed.
