A traveler was arrested at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport after trying to smuggle 10 yellow anacondas. The snakes were hidden within his checked luggage.
In a post on X, the Bengaluru Customs department said the officials intercepted the passenger who arrived from Bangkok and arrested him. "Passenger arrested and investigation is underway. Wildlife trafficking will not be tolerated," the department said in a post on X.
The yellow anaconda, a species typically inhabiting riverine areas, is commonly sighted near water bodies. Native to regions including Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and northern Uruguay, these anacondas are known for their distinct habitat preferences.
In India, wildlife trade and trafficking is strictly prohibited by law. This was exemplified by a recent incident at Bengaluru airport, where customs authorities intercepted a passenger attempting to smuggle 234 wild animals, among them a baby kangaroo, from Bangkok. Tragically, the young kangaroo was found deceased in a plastic box due to suffocation.