Customs officials at the Kempegowda International Airport uncovered another wildlife smuggling racket and arrested two women passengers carrying birds and animals concealed in their check-in baggage from Malaysia.
The duo, identified as Hajira Bi Mohammed Nayeem Khan and Shahnaz Shafi Sheikh from Maharashtra, aged around 50 years, were caught after they landed at the Kempegowda International Airport from Malaysia .
Based on passenger profiling and specific inputs, the customs officials intercepted the duo and checked the bags to find the birds and animals stuffed in plastic containers and kept in the check-in luggage.
According to the officials, the duo were working as carriers for an international smuggling trade racket and were supposed to handover the consignment to their contacts waiting outside the airport.
The rescued birds include Bali myna, Wilson’s bird-of-paradise, Double-eyed fig parrot, Albino Finlayson’s squirrel, and Salvadori’s fig parrots.
The duo was offered a free trip and money to carry the consignments and hand them over to their contact after confirming the code words. The rescued birds and animals have been quarantined at the airport’s designated centre and the process to deport them is underway, the custom officials said.
The Kempegowda International Airport has become a hub for wildlife smuggling after the heavy crack down at Chennai airport, the officials said.
Published – January 29, 2025 08:58 pm IST