Two arrested for smuggling poisonous snakes & monkeys from Thailand

CHENNAI: Customs arrested two passengers who smuggled poisonous snakes and monkeys from Thailand to Chennai airport on Tuesday.

The officials have decided to send all the animals back to Thailand on wee hours of Wednesday.

The customs officers who were checking the passengers who arrived from Thailand early Tuesday found two passengers from Ramanathapuram were carrying big plastic baskets with them.

Soon the officials on suspicion intercepted the passengers during the inquiry they were evasive in their replies.

Later the customs checked the baskets and they found both of them were carrying 40 Pythons, 13 cobras and rare species of monkeys and other animals with them.

The customs arrested both of them and later the officials from the wildlife control bureau visited the spot they found the snakes were very poisonous and mainly found in North America and Africa.

Soon the officials decided to send back the animals to Thailand and both the passengers were arrested.

Further inquiry is on.

It is noted that only five days ago a meeting was held in the Chennai airport to control the smuggling of animals from foreign countries and strict action should be taken against the smugglers.