CHENNAI: Chennai Airport Customs officials on Tuesday seized rare python snakelets from the luggage of a passenger coming from Bangkok, Thailand, said officials.
According to officials, the passenger came in a Thai Airways at Chennai International Airport last midnight, and the large plastic basket with him contained 14 snakelets.
A routine checkup was conducted by Chennai airport customs officials, but a large plastic basket carried by a 27-year-old male passenger from Tamil Nadu raised concerns of the officials. Suspicious of him, Customs officials stopped him and questioned him.
“When they inquired about the basket, the traveller said that there were toys like snakes, lizards and mice made of rubber for children to play with,” said Customs officials
However, after opening the basket they found live snakelets. The terrified customs officials were shocked and ran away screaming. But the traveller took the snakelets and held them in his palms, saying that these snakes were like rubber snakes, non-venomous game snakes.
The customs officials informed the Union Wildlife Protection Crime Branch Police in Besant Nagar, Chennai. Immediately, the Union Wildlife Protection Crime Squad rushed to the Chennai airport and examined the snakelets. There were a total of 14 of them in the basket.
Among them, 12 were milk pythons, a type of python, and 2 kings snakes. Customs officials said that the traveller had no documents.
“These snakes may harbour foreign pathogens. If these are allowed into the country, there is a risk of spreading foreign disease germs and causing various diseases to animals and humans as well,” said the officials.
Following this, Chennai airport customs officials arrested the passenger. In addition to this, they have decided to send back these 14 rare python cubs on a Thai Airways passenger flight from Chennai to Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday morning. (ANI)