A man was arrested at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Friday, for allegedly smuggling exotic snakes into the country. The accused, identified as Goodman Linford Leo, was apprehended by Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officials after he attempted to walk through the green channel and was stopped on suspicion.
Officials became alert when they noticed possible irregularities in his baggage. Upon conducting a detailed inspection, they discovered 15 white cloth pouches inside his check-in luggage, each containing live non-native snake species.
The seized reptiles were identified by the Regional Deputy Director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Western Region. The species recovered included two Garter snakes (Thamnophis spp.), five Rhinoceros Rat snakes (Gonyosoma boulengeri), one Albino Rat snake (Pantherophis guttatus), two Kenyan Sand Boas (Gongylophis colubrinus), one Coastal Banded California King snake (Lampropeltis californiae), and five Albino Honduran Milk snakes (Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis).
Experts confirmed that none of these species are listed under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). However, the reptiles were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, as they were being smuggled into India without proper documentation.
During voluntary interrogation under Section 108 of the Customs Act, Goodman Linford Leo admitted to knowledge, possession, concealment, and attempted smuggling of the seized wildlife. He further confessed that he had no legal permits for the reptiles and claimed the animals were not his own, but he had transported them for monetary gain.
Preliminary investigations suggest the possible involvement of a larger wildlife trafficking syndicate. Details of the accused’s associates remain unknown, and authorities are intensifying efforts to trace and identify them.
The case is currently under early-stage investigation, with a focus on uncovering the broader network involved and bringing other culprits to justice.