CUSTOMS officers at Chennai airport seized four endangered siamang gibbons and 52 green iguanas from a Malaysian passenger who landed at Chennai Airport from Kuala Lumpur on October 13.
On October 16, the Customs Department said that the Air Intelligence Officers acted on specific intelligence and intercepted a female Malaysian passenger.
According to foreign reports, a driver who arrived to receive the exotic pets was also arrested and remanded.
Initial examinations led to the discovery of four Siamang Gibbon (Symphalangus syndactylus) and 52 Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) numbers.
The animals were hidden in bags with air vents and packed in carton boxes.
The animals were stabilised and fed before being deported back to Malaysia.
In August, customs officials seized a gibbon monkey and 22 other species from passengers who arrived from Thailand.
Sources informed that the animals were brought in to fuel the huge exotic species pet trade in the country. - October 17, 2024
