An Unusual Find at Mumbai Airport: Venomous Snakes Aplenty!
- Smuggler apprehended at Indian airport with numerous dangerous snakes
Mumbai Airport isn't just about gold, cash, cannabis, or cocaine. Oh no, live animals are a frequent find too. Customs officials have witnessed their fair share of unexpected smuggling incidents over the years.
In a shocking turn of events, an Indian national was nabbed last June, trying to sneak in 48 venomous snakes and five turtles from Thailand[2][3][4]. The accused was carrying 44 Indonesian pit vipers and three deadly spider-tailed horned vipers, along with five Asian leaf turtles, lurking in his luggage.
Remember the incident with the endangered Siamang gibbons in February[2][3]? Five of these primates were hidden in a trolley bag, trying to outsmart the authorities at the same airport.
The animal smuggling saga didn't end there. In November, 12 live turtles were found stashed away in a passenger's baggage, and just a month before that, four hornbill birds were intercepted[2]. And let's not forget the two smugglers attempting to sneak in five young caimans, a subspecies of alligators, undetected, in September[2].
It appears that Mumbai Airport has more than its fair share of unwelcome guests. Who knows what's lurking in those suitcases next? It's clear that customs officials have their work cut out for them in the fight against illegal wildlife smuggling.
The bustling city of Mumbai is not only associated with gold, cash, and illicit substances like cannabis and cocaine, but it has also become a frequent scene for untold incidents of animal smuggling, as shown by the capture of an Indian man harboring 48 venomous snakes and five turtles last June. This incident, reminiscent of the recent discovery of endangered Siamang gibbons in February, demonstrates that Mumbai Airport is indeed more than just a transit point for general-news stories, delving into crime-and-justice territories as well.
