Mumbai: Stopping a smuggling bid, Indian customs authorities seized dozens of poisonous snakes from a passenger, which were swept away from Thailand to the financial centres of the country, including Mumbai.
In a late statement on Sunday, the Mumbai Customs said 44 Indonesian pit vipers were among the snakes that were “hidden in the check-in area”.
“An Indian national coming from Thailand was arrested,” said this.
Passengers, whose details were not released, also had three spider-tailed horned vipers, which are toxic but typically target small prey, such as birds, as well as five Asian leaf turtles.
Mumbai’s customs released pictures of seized snakes, including blue and yellow reptiles in a bucket.
A ‘sniff’ is a relatively unusual seizure in Mumbai, in which customs authorities more regularly post pictures of suspected cocaine, gold, cash, cannabis or pills.
However, in February, customs officials at Mumbai Airport also stopped a smuggler with five Siamang gibbons, a small monkey native to the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Customs officials stated that those small creatures were listed as protected by the International Union, which, for the protection of nature, were “easily hidden” in the plastic crate placed inside the traveller’s trolley bag.
In November, customs officials seized a passenger carrying 12 turtles, and a month ago, four hornbill birds, all on aircraft coming from Thailand.
In September, two passengers were arrested with five teenage camels, a reptile in the crocodile family.