Maharashtra: Customs at Mumbai Airport book passenger for smuggling wildlife species

"On the basis of profiling, Customs officers at CSMI Airport, Mumbai, intercepted one passenger arriving from Kuala Lumpur to Mumbai and recovered 5 wildlife species i.e. Siamang Gibbon (Symphalangus Syndactylus) listed in Appendix - 1 of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Schedule IV of newly amended wildlife (protection) Act, 1972," Customs officials said.

Customs officials said wildlife species i.e. five Siamang Gibbons were ingeniously concealed inside plastic boxes/cages, which were then placed inside the trolley bags carried by passenger.

Proceedings to deport the Gibbons to the country of their origin is being initiated. The passenger has been handed over to the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau for further action.

Earlier on January 28, three Ugandan nationals were arrested at Mumbai Airport after being intercepted by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers, who seized 2197 grams of cocaine worth Rs 21.97 crore, said the agency in an official statement.

Based on specific intelligence that a syndicate of Ugandan nationals would be attempting to smuggle narcotics into India, officers of DRI Mumbai intercepted three Ugandan nationals who had arrived at the Mumbai Airport from Entebbe, the statement said.

On questioning, all three passengers admitted to ingesting capsules containing narcotic drugs for smuggling into India. They were produced before the magistrate and, as per the court order, were admitted to a nearby government hospital, the statement added.

The three passengers purged 170 capsules containing 2197 grams of cocaine, valued at Rs. 21.97 crores in the illicit market, which was seized under the NDPS Act, 1985 and all three passengers were arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985, the official further mentioned. (ANI)