Air Customs seizes smuggled 52 Green Iguanas, 4 Siamang Gibbons at Chennai airport, 2 held

Chennai: Officials of the Customs Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) have seized exotic animals smuggled into India from a woman passenger who arrived from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia at the Anna International Airport here and arrested her and another person who came to receive it.

Acting on specific intelligence, the AIU officers intercepted a female Malaysian passenger and on examination of her baggage, they detected 56 Nos. of various wildlife species.

The Authorities from Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) arrived at the airport to examine the wildlife species, which were identified and certified as 04 Nos Siamang Gibbon (Symphalangus syndactylus) (Endangered Species) and 52 Nos Green Iguana (Iguana iguana).

In their swift follow-up action, the AIU Officers apprehended the person waiting to receive the smuggled exotic wildlife species for further investigation A PIB release said.

Both the passenger and the receiver were arrested under the Customs Act, 1962 and were remanded in judicial custody.

On 13.10.24, AIU, Chennai intercepted a passenger arrived from Kuala Lumpur & recovered 4 Siamang Gibbons and 52 Green lguana species from her baggage, which were seized under the CA'62 read with the Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972. The passenger and one receiver were arrested:… pic.twitter.com/a2Cl9gXDy2

— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2024

The seized exotic species were properly fed with food and water as per the advice of WCCB authorities and were deported back to their Country of Origin.

Further investigation is under progress.