Clothes, shoes, toiletries and other essentials are some of the things that we pack while travelling. Basically, everything that a normal person needs and nothing bizarre. But an incident took place at the Chennai International Airport where a passenger was caught carrying different species of snakes and a chameleon! Here are the details of what happened when the customs officials seized these reptiles.
22 Snakes & A Chameleon Found At The Chennai Airport!
Indian Customs : Guardians of wildlife!@ChennaiCustoms intercepted a female pax arriving from Kuala Lumpur by Flight No.AK13. On examination of check-in baggage, 22 Snakes of various species & a Chameleon were found; seized under CA, 1962 r/w Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. pic.twitter.com/5Xfu8OK217
— CBIC (@cbic_india) April 30, 2023
At Chennai International Airport, the customs officials found 22 snakes of different species in addition to a chameleon in a passenger’s luggage. According to reports, the passenger was travelling from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to India. In a video released by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), you could see these reptiles in different plastic containers sealed with duct tape.
Agents stated that while inspecting the traveller’s luggage after she had gone through customs at the Chennai Airport, they had found the creatures. The visitor was only identified by the officials as a woman who brought the chameleon, snakes, and snakes to Chennai from Malaysia in her checked bags, which were finally seized under India’s Wildlife Act.
Similar Incidents & The Wildlife Protection Act 1972
Earlier in November 2022, customs officers in Chennai seized four exotic animals that were being smuggled from Bangkok, Thailand in checked luggage. In a related occurrence, customs officers detained a traveller in January and discovered 45 ball pythons, three-star tortoises, three marmosets, and eight corn snakes in their luggage.
The culprits were booked under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 in addition to the Customs Act 1962. This Act provides for the protection of the wild animals, bird species, and plant species found in the country in order to maintain the security of the environment and the ecological system. The Act, among other things, forbids the hunting of numerous animal species. This act is an essential part of the protection of India’s flora and fauna and to avoid ecological imbalance.
Moreover, smuggling exotic animals into the country is also prohibited according to the law.
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Comment below and share more such incidents that you recall.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva