Ball pythons, iguanas seized from air passenger

Chennai: Exotic animals including ball pythons, squirrels, and iguanas were seized from a passenger at the international airport here, the Customs department said on Wednesday.

Acting on specific inputs, the authorities intercepted the passenger who arrived here from Bangkok on August 21 and recovered the animals from him.

On examination of his check-in baggage 14 ball pythons (Python Regius) of different colours, 30 blue iguanas (Iguana.sp) and four fiery squirrels (Sciurus flammifer) were found and seized under the Customs Act, 1962, a press release from Additional Commissioner of Customs Shivaprakash Veeresh Baddi said.

An investigation is on, he said.