Two held at Mumbai airport with exotic animals

Mumbai, Jul 11 (PTI) Two persons were apprehended on Friday at the Mumbai international airport by the Customs department allegedly with exotics animals listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species as well as Wildlife Protection Act, an official said.

The animals include meerkats, Sumatran rabbits, great billed parrots and Indo-Chinese box turtles, he said.

"They had come onboard Air India and Thai VietJet Air flights and the animals were found concealed in their luggage. An expert rescue team of RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare) assisted in safe handling and stabilization of the animals. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau ordered the deportation of these animals to Bangkok, from where they had arrived," he said. PTI ZA BNM