Bengaluru airport customs recovers 234 wild animals from smuggler. Baby Kangaroo found dead
kangaroo lost its life, purportedly due to suffocation, after being smuggled inside a suitcase from Bangkok to Bengaluru by a wildlife trafficker. As per a TOI report, the unfortunate incident took place on Monday at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).
Customs officials from Bengaluru intercepted the suspect, a 32-year-old man hailing from Tamil Nadu, upon his arrival at KIA.
The suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed, was found in possession of a suitcase containing 234 wild animals, including pythons, chameleons, iguanas, turtles, alligators. The Bengaluru Customs handed over the creatures to the Forest Department for proper care.
The deceased baby kangaroo shocked the air intelligence unit (AIU) officers of the Bengaluru Customs.
The baby Kangaroo was stuffed inside one of the plastic containers in the suitcase. An officer emotionally recounted, «In one of the containers, there was something that looked like a small dog.
We opened it and were stunned to find that it was a baby kangaroo concealed inside. Sadly, it had died due to suffocation within the suitcase.»
A thorough inspection of the belongings of the traveller revealed that his suitcase held a cache of live wildlife, including turtles and snakes, all of which were found to be in distress but still alive.
During the investigation by Customs officials, the suspect claimed innocence, asserting that he had no knowledge of the suitcase's contents.
He maintained that the bag had been handed to him in Bangkok with instructions to deliver it to Bengaluru. However, airport sources indicate that investigators are skeptical of this explanation and are delving deeper into the circumstances of the case.
