Two passengers smuggle 66 rare species from Thailand to Chennai, held

CHENNAI: Customs arrested two passengers who smuggled 66 animals including poisonous snakes and monkeys from Thailand to Chennai airport on Tuesday. The officials have decided to send all the animals back to Thailand on Wednesday.

The customs officers who were checking the passengers who arrived from Thailand early on Tuesday, found two passengers from Ramanathapuram 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 carrying 40 pythons, 13 cobras and rare species of monkeys and other animals with them.

Later, officials from the wildlife control bureau visited the spot and 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.