In a significant crackdown, the Airport Commissionerate, Mumbai (Zone-III), successfully intercepted two passengers arriving from Bangkok, leading to the recovery of rare hornbill species. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, customs officials seized two Visayan Hornbills and two Sulawesi Hornbills from the passengers’ luggage.
The birds were found hidden in rectangular boxes placed under food packets inside trolley bags, likely to avoid detection. The species were later identified as the Visayan Hornbill (Penelopides panini), listed under Appendix-II of CITES and Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the Sulawesi Hornbill (Rhabdotorrhinus exarhatus).
As per official reports, the seized hornbills were handed over to airline staff for deportation. Legal proceedings against the passengers have been initiated under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Both passengers have been released on bail, and further investigations are underway.
Smuggling of exotic wildlife remains a critical issue, and authorities continue to crack down on such illegal activities in efforts to protect endangered species.