DRI recover 18 non-indigenous animals from Smugglers at Bangalore airport
New Delhi, January 28: The directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) recovered 18 non-indigenous animals from the three passengers at Kempegowda international airport, Bangalore, who were arriving from Bangkok.
The authorities took the suspected passengers for further investigation who were travelling from Bangkok to Bangalore. Upon checking, they recovered the 4 primates and 14 reptiles, a total of 18 non-indigenous animals, in their checked-in baggage.
In those recovered, 10 out of the 18 animals were included under Appendix 2 of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). As per the wildlife protection act 1972, the import and export of wild animals, including their parts and products, is prohibited, especially, those animals who are included under CITES are subject to provision.
After this incident, the authorities took quick action on this matter, and with the help of Karnataka Forest Department officials and an officer deputed from WCCB Chennai, they detected a farm house located in Bangalore that was being used as a storage facility for smuggled wild animals. The authorities recovered another 139 animals belonging to 48 different species from this farmhouse. Out of them, 34 species were listed under CITES.
The authorities recovered the extremely rare and dangerous wild species like yellow and green anaconda, yellow Headed Amazon Parrot, Nile Monitor, Red Foot Tortoise, Iguanas, Ball Pythons, Alligator Gar, Yaki Monkey, Veiled Chameleon, Racoon Dog, White Headed Piones all of them are handed over to the Bannerghatta Biological Park.
“Those who were involved in this matter are arrested and are being investigated further.”.” The PIB stated.
