Watch: 11 rare snakes, 18 iguanas, 50 tortoises among exotic animals seized from flyer in Madurai

MADURAI: Customs officials at Madurai airport have seized several varieties of snakes, small iguanas, and black tortoises, among others, from a passenger who arrived by Sri Lankan Airlines flight.

According to officials, a suspicious person arrived from Bangkok via Colombo in Sri Lankan Airlines flight UL - 139 on Wednesday (March 19). When the person was stopped and checked, he was found to be in possession of rare varieties of live reptilian animals in numbers.

The customs officials seized the animals that had been kept wrapped in packets.
The seized animals included 11 varieties of snakes, 18 small iguanas that were green in colour, 7 chameleons, 50 tortoises, three black tortoises, and four lizards.

Officials added that further investigation and documentation work is under process.
A similar incident occurred last week at Chennai airport.
Customs officials seized eight exotic animals at Chennai airport—five living and three deceased—from two passengers arriving from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This incident signals the return of wildlife traffickers to Chennai airport following a period of inactivity.
The confiscated animals included four Eastern Grey Gibbons, an endangered species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Two of these gibbons were found alive, whilst two were deceased. The officials also seized two marbled polecats and a silvery lutung, both classified as vulnerable species, along with a deceased Sumatran white-bearded palm civet.
Based on intelligence received on March 7, customs officials intercepted the passengers who arrived on a Malaysian flight. The animals were discovered concealed in ventilated boxes within their check-in baggage.