Chennai Airport Seizes Smuggled Gibbons in Second Attempt Within 2 Weeks

Quick Summary:

• Customs officials at chennai airport seized two live gibbon monkeys from a flyer who arrived from Bangkok, Thailand.
• Teh monkeys were concealed inside pet bags in the traveller’s trolley bag, hidden beneath chocolates and food items.
• The species identified were an Agile Gibbon (Hylobates agilis) and an Eastern Grey Gibbon (Hylobates funerus), both endangered varieties associated with high demand in the international illegal pet trade. The Agile Gibbon is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.
• The wildlife bureau provided care for the seized animals, which were deported back to Thailand on the same flight.
• Authorities suspect increased demand for these species in smuggling circles due to repeated attempts within two weeks to bring gibbons via Chennai airport.
• Investigation revealed that the detained individual served as a carrier employed by a smuggling operation; further inquiries are ongoing into this network.
• Separately,customs officials confiscated 700 grams of gold across three flyers arriving in Chennai through different routes-Dubai,singapore,dhaka/Kolkata-within recent days.

!Second attempt in 2 weeks: 2 gibbons smuggled from Bangkok seized at Chennai airport

Indian Opinion analysis:

The seizure of endangered gibbons underscores India’s role as both a transit point and destination for wildlife trafficking driven by global demand for exotic pets. The swift interception highlights active vigilance by customs authorities but also raises concerns regarding repeat offenses over short intervals; it suggests organized trafficking networks exploiting weaknesses within enforcement systems or leveraging uninformed individuals as carriers.

The broader inclusion of gold seizures adds dimension to India’s persistent challenge with commodity-related smuggling-a parallel issue affecting economic policy enforcement and border security measures. Strengthened inter-agency coordination alongside targeted awareness campaigns emphasizing ethical conservation could aid India’s efforts to disrupt such illicit markets effectively while protecting vulnerable species and resources.

Read More