Mumbai: Indian Man Caught Smuggling Dozens of Rare Reptiles, Including Venomous Snakes, from Thailand

Mumbai, 2nd June 2025: Indian customs officials have detained a man at Mumbai’s international airport after uncovering a haul of exotic and venomous reptiles concealed in his checked luggage. The man, an Indian national arriving from Thailand, was intercepted by authorities on Sunday during a routine customs check.

Officials reported the seizure of 47 venomous vipers, along with other rare species, hidden in the suspect’s baggage. The reptiles have been confiscated under India’s stringent wildlife protection laws.

While the identity of the man remains undisclosed, authorities confirmed he is in custody and has yet to make any public statement regarding the incident.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), customs authorities revealed that the seized wildlife included three spider-tailed horned vipers, five Asian leaf turtles, and 44 Indonesian pit vipers. Photographs of the colorful serpents coiled in containers were also published online. The origin of the animals is still under investigation.

India’s Wildlife Protection Act prohibits the import of specific animal species, particularly those listed as endangered or under special protection. While importing wildlife into India is not entirely forbidden, it requires prior approval through legal permits and licenses, a requirement the accused allegedly failed to meet.

This case adds to a growing list of wildlife trafficking incidents involving air travelers. In January, a Canadian citizen was apprehended at Delhi airport with a crocodile skull in his luggage. A month later, Mumbai customs officials discovered five endangered Siamang gibbons smuggled in a plastic crate hidden within a passenger’s trolley bag. The apes are native to Southeast Asia and protected under international conservation laws.

In another instance from November last year, two passengers arriving from Bangkok were caught carrying a dozen exotic turtles. A more dramatic case from 2019 involved the Chennai airport, where authorities confiscated an array of rare animals including a horned pit viper, iguanas, blue-tongued skinks, green tree frogs, and over 20 Egyptian tortoises, all found in the possession of a passenger flying in from Thailand.

Wildlife authorities continue to urge stricter vigilance and public awareness to curb the rising trend of illegal wildlife trade through airports.