Exotic Wildlife Smuggling Foiled at Pune Airport, Two Arrested with Rare Species from Bangkok
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 16th July 2025: In a major wildlife smuggling bust, Pune Customs officials have arrested two passengers for illegally importing exotic and protected animal species from Bangkok. The accused — identified as Zaheerabbas Aynal Mandal and Bhavesh Rameshbhai Solanki — were intercepted upon arrival at Pune Airport on Air India Express flight IX-241 on July 15, 2025.
Acting on specific intelligence, Customs officers searched the duo and recovered a shocking haul of live and endangered animals concealed in their baggage.
The seizure included:
14 Green Tree Pythons (Morelia viridis), of which 13 were alive and one was found dead,
4 Double-eyed Fig Parrots (Cyclopsitta diophthalma), and
2 Sumatran Striped Rabbits (Nesolagus netscheri).
All three species are non-native to India and fall under protected wildlife categories under international conservation norms.
A case has been registered against the accused under the Customs Act, 1962, read with the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Both passengers were taken into custody and further investigation is underway to determine the source and intended destination of the smuggled wildlife.
A senior Customs official stated, “This seizure highlights the growing threat of exotic wildlife trafficking through air routes. Such illegal trade not only violates national and international laws but also endangers the survival of rare species.”
The rescued animals have been handed over to the appropriate wildlife authorities for medical care and rehabilitation.
Authorities are also probing if the accused are part of a larger trafficking network.
