On June 1, at the International Airport in Mumbai, customs authorities detained an Indian citizen who arrived from Thailand, in an attempt to smuggle dozens of rare and protected reptiles into the country. During the inspection of his registered luggage, customs found 44 Indonesian snakes, 3 horned vipers with a webbed tail, and 5 Asian leaf turtles.
These animals are extremely rare and protected by international conventions. They were hidden in special containers in the passenger's luggage. Customs published photos of the confiscated reptiles - brightly colored snakes in buckets and turtles in plastic beds.
Transporting venomous snakes is an extremely dangerous practice. In the event of the snakes escaping, they can bite passengers, crew, or airport staff, and some species can kill a person in minutes without emergency medical assistance.
The detained person is currently under arrest and faces criminal prosecution under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act. The confiscated animals have been handed over to specialists for proper care.