In a bizarre incident, customs authorities at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport have seized king cobras and other protected animals that were smuggled on a flight from Thailand.
If reports are to go by, the said animals were stuffed in check-in baggage on Thai AirAsia's flight, which landed in Bengaluru around 10.30 pm on Wednesday.
The customs added that they seized not only 17 king cobras, but also 55 ball pythons (in different colour morphs) and six capuchin monkeys the baggage contained. As per their statement, the ball pythons and king cobras were found alive and active, whereas all the primates were dead.
Their statement further added that all the 78 animals are scheduled animals under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and have been listed under appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES).
A scheduled animal refers to an endangered species that requires special protection. Officials suspect that the animals were smuggled for international pet trade. If reports are to go by, pythons and king cobras have been deported to Thailand, whereas the dead capuchin monkeys were disposed of with proper sanitary measures.
13/09/2023 Times of India
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