Flyer trying to smuggle in baby kangaroo, 233 other wild animals nabbed at Bengaluru airport

Customs officials at the Kempegowda International Airport rescued 234 wild animals, including a baby kangaroo, allegedly smuggled by a passenger from Bangkok late on Monday night.

In a statement, Bengaluru Air Customs said it used passenger profiling to intercept the flyer just as he crossed the green channel and approached the exit gate of the international arrival area. The green channel is the route followed by passengers who claim to have no dutiable/prohibited goods to declare.

The passenger travelled on Thai AirAsia's flight FD 137, which landed in Bengaluru around 10.30 pm on Wednesday, August 22.

A search of his trolley bag revealed the presence of a number of wild animals. Many more were found hidden in an unclaimed trolley bag from the same flight.

In all, customs officials found 234 wild animals in the two bags. These included pythons, chameleons, iguanas, turtles, alligators, and a baby kangaroo. Some of these animals are listed in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).

The passenger was arrested under Section 104 of the Customs Act while the rescued animals were seized under Section 110 of the same law. Further investigation is under way, a customs statement said.