Customs officials in Mumbai, India, discovered 16 live snakes in the baggage of a passenger arriving from Thailand on July 7, 2025. Illustrative photo. Photo: shutterstock.com The snakes, primarily non-venomous species such as common garden snakes, horned pit vipers, Kenyan sand boas, California king snakes, and albino varieties, were found in the passenger’s luggage. The passenger was detained and is currently subject to an investigation. According to CBS News, many of the animals seized by Indian customs are in demand on the market for exotic pets and are frequently sold on illicit markets. This incident marks the third instance of live animal smuggling detected in Mumbai within a month. In early June, another passenger arriving from Thailand was apprehended, with 44 green Indonesian snakes, three venomous horned pit vipers, and five Asian leaf turtles discovered in their luggage. Subsequently, a third passenger’s baggage yielded approximately 100 animals, including rare lizards, sunbirds, and marsupials. This is not an isolated event; travelers have attempted to smuggle live animals internationally via aircraft, often concealed in luggage or clothing items. For example, in March, an American was detained at Newark International Airport in New Jersey with a red-eared slider turtle concealed within his trousers. TSA officials detected a suspicious object in the passenger’s lower region, which upon investigation, revealed a live turtle wrapped in a small blue towel. A similar incident occurred in November 2024 at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru, where a 28-year-old South Korean citizen was stopped when airport security discovered two belts under his shirt, each containing small packets of insects and spiders. The Peruvian Agency for Forest Management and Nature Conservation (SERFOR) subsequently found 35 adult tarantulas, 285 juvenile tarantulas, 110 newts, and nine bullet ants (Paraponera Clavata, a highly venomous ant species) within the passenger’s belongings. The incident highlights ongoing challenges for customs and law enforcement agencies regarding the transport of exotic animals. Topics: #rus #postimees #whatever Post navigation DOWNED AIRCRAFT ⟩ Many accidents have occurred with such a helicopter and many have died The Pentagon is developing drones that can carry war material – here is one that flies 1,000 km away
This is a bizarre and concerning incident that highlights the need for stricter regulations regarding the transport of exotic animals. Reply