Mumbai: 52 Exotic Snakes and Turtles Found in Passenger’s Luggage at CSMIA

A man was arrested on Sunday by customs officials at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) after they confiscated exotic reptiles from him, including those that were protected by wildlife legislation. The traveler, who had landed on Thai Airways Flight TG317 from Bangkok on Saturday, May 31, was intercepted by officials based on particular intelligence. The accused allegedly displayed uneasiness during interrogation, which led authorities to take a closer look at his luggage. Three spider-tailed horned vipers (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides), five Asian leaf turtles (Cyclemys dentata), and forty-four Indonesian pit vipers (Trimeresurus insularis), one of which was discovered dead, were located after a thorough search.

The Asian leaf turtle and spider-tailed horned vipers are classified in Schedule IV of the recently updated Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as well as Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). According to customs, the Indonesian pit viper is not included in the CITES list. Following a panchanama, the passenger was taken into custody in accordance with the 1962 Customs Act.

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The smuggling work may be connected to a larger network that traffics exotic animals via Southeast Asian channels, according to preliminary findings.

This case highlights the illegal wildlife trade's increasing menace. Vulnerable animals are put in jeopardy by risky smuggling operations that are fueled by the demand for unique and exotic pets. It also poses serious questions about ecological stability and public health.

Investigations are ongoing.