Chennai Customs Seize 200 Ornamental Fish From Cook

Chennai: Airport Customs officials, while conducting routine checks on air passengers, stumbled on 200 live ornamental fish, hidden in a luggage belonging to a passenger who arrived from Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
Officials detained 55-year-old Abdul Wahab, a hotel cook in south India, who was believed to have gone to Malaysia on a vacation and returned with the fish without any valid documents.
The exotic fish was valued at about RM8,000 in the local market.
"The fish were in different sizes and kept in polythene covers filled with oxygen and water.
"As the passenger was not in possession of any valid document for the illicit import, the live fish were confiscated under the provision of the Customs Act 1962," said Chennai Commissioner of Customs (Airport) Parminder Singh.
He said the all the fish would be returned to the Malaysian authorities immediately as required.
India imposes strict regulations on the import of ornamental fish. Importers need a license from the Director-General of Foreign Trade and clearance from the Animal Quarantine Department.
These exotic species, often kept as pets or for the purpose of "Vastu", the Indian version of Feng Shui, are popular in India and fetch good value in local markets, thus encouraging smuggling.
28/08/08 P. Vijian/Bernama, Malaysia

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Categories: Airports Aug 2008