Mumbai: Exotic birds, monkeys smuggled from Thailand seized at CSMIA

Seven exotic birds and three monkeys were seized by the Customs while being smuggled alive from Thailand at the Mumbai airport reported PTI Two passangers were detained in connection with the smuggling officials said on SaturdayAs per the PTI report three out of the seven birds were found dead while unboxing the consignment The survivors would be sent back to the east Asian country said a forest department officialThe baggage of the two passengers who landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport on Friday was searched on suspicion Seven flame bowerbirds two cottontop tamarin monkeys and a marmoset monkey were found concealed inside the luggage said a customs officialThree of the birds were found dead he saidThe surviving birds and monkeys were handed over to the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare RAWW for treatment reported PTIThey were dehydrated and stressed said Pawan Sharma president of RAWW and honorary wildlife warden with the Maharashtra forest departmentAfter being treated by Dr Rina Dev and a team of rescuers and rehabilitators they were handed back to the customs he saidAs the animals and birds are not of Indian origin as per provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act they would be sent back to Thailand said the forest official reported PTIOn July 02 based on specific intelligence Airport Commissionerate Mumbai Customs ZoneIII seized 07 birds North Island Saddleback 01 Magnificent Riflebird 02 Lesser Bird of Paradise04 found concealed in baggage of pax Pax was arrested amp remanded to judicial custody pictwittercomCOAfJknW6dmdash Mumbai CustomsIII mumbaicus3 July 3 2024It said the gold was found concealed in various forms like gold dust in wax crude jewellery gold bars in an ingenious way inside the wheels of the trolley suitcase under the seat of bus on the body and in body Five passengers were arrested in connection with the caseThe Customs department said that five Indian nationals travelling from Jeddah 04 and Dubai 01 to Mumbai were intercepted and found carrying 24KT gold dust in wax having total net weight of 5800 grams was found concealed in body All the five passengers were arrested in the casesFour foreign nationals travelling from Addis Ababa 02 and Nairobi 02 were intercepted and found carrying 136300 grams gold concealed in the rightside pocket of the burkha and on the body of passenger the Customs saidIn an another cases five Indian nationals travelling from Dubai 02 Bangkok 01 Colombo 01 Sharjah 01 were intercepted and found carrying 178500 grams gold concealed in inside the wheels of the trolley suitcase on the body and in bodyIn a separate case 24KT gold dust in wax 02 Pouches having net weight of 155000 grams valued at Rs 9878275 was found concealed under the seat of bus ferrying passengers from Remote to Airport building the officials said