Mumbai: The Mumbai Airport Customs have intercepted two passengers arriving from Bangkok and the examination of their baggage led to the recovery of 12 exotic turtle species. The turtles were cleverly hidden inside rectangular plastic boxes, which were concealed between the food packets kept inside the trolley bags carried by the passengers, the agency officials said on Tuesday.
According to the Customs sources, on Monday, on the basis of profiling of passengers, the Custom Officers posted at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai, intercepted two passengers arriving from Bangkok. The examination of their baggage led to the recovery of 12 exotic turtle species.
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Western Region, Navi Mumbai, identified these species as eight Japanese Pond Turtle (Mauremys japonica) and four Scorpion Mud Turtle or Red Cheeked Mud Turtle (Kinosternon scorpioides). These turtles are listed in Appendix-Il of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Schedule IV of the newly amended Wildlife (Protection) Act.
The Exotic Turtles were handed over to the airline staff for deportation to their country of origin. The proceedings against the passengers had been initiated as per the provisions of Customs Act and Wildlife Protection Act after which the passengers were arrested. The officials are now probing who had supplied these turtles to the accused and who was supposed to receive them in Mumbai.
Last month, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs department had rescued four endangered hornbill birds at the Mumbai airport from a Surat based couple, who tried to smuggle the birds into the country by hiding them in luggage. The couple had arrived from Bangkok. The sources said that each bird is sold for around Rs 3 to 4 lakh to high end customers.
In September the Airport Customs officials had arrested two passengers who were attempting to smuggle five Juveniles of Caiman Crocodiles (Caiman crocodylus crocodylus), which were concealed inside a box that had been placed in a passenger’s trolley bag who had arrived from Bangkok to Mumbai.
