theVibes.com:
After snakes, 6,850 live turtles seized from AirAsia travellers to India
Authorities arrest two males, discover animals concealed in small boxes in their stroller bags
The seized wildlife were red-eared slider turtles, which, The Hindu said, was an invasive alien turtle species native to the south-eastern area of the United States. – Pexels pic, June 26, 2023
KUALA LUMPUR – Indian airport authorities have once again intercepted live wildlife transported in the luggage of AirAsia flight passengers, this time seizing 6,850 live turtles from passengers arriving at the Tiruchi international airport from Kuala Lumpur.
According to a report by The Hindu, officers from the customs air intelligence unit had “acted on specific intelligence” when intercepting the two male passengers at the exit gate of the airport in Tamil Nadu last Friday.
“On examination of their checked-in luggage, the officers found small sized live turtles concealed in small boxes inside the stroller bag of each passenger,” the report said.
“Further, foreign currency equivalent to 57,441 rupees (approximately RM3,284) was recovered from one of the passengers.”
The seized wildlife were red-eared slider turtles, which, The Hindu said, was an invasive alien turtle species native to the south-eastern area of the United States.
The report also said that the two passengers were arrested as “the live wild turtles were being illicitly imported into India without valid documents or licence.”
In April, an AirAsia flight saw a similar debacle when Indian airport authorities found 22 snakes in the baggage of a woman who arrived at the Chennai airport from Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR – Indian airport authorities have once again intercepted live wildlife transported in the luggage of AirAsia flight passengers, this time seizing 6,850 live turtles from passengers arriving at the Tiruchi international airport from Kuala Lumpur.
According to a report by The Hindu, officers from the customs air intelligence unit had “acted on specific intelligence” when intercepting the two male passengers at the exit gate of the airport in Tamil Nadu last Friday.
“On examination of their checked-in luggage, the officers found small sized live turtles concealed in small boxes inside the stroller bag of each passenger,” the report said.
“Further, foreign currency equivalent to 57,441 rupees (approximately RM3,284) was recovered from one of the passengers.”
The seized wildlife were red-eared slider turtles, which, The Hindu said, was an invasive alien turtle species native to the south-eastern area of the United States.
The report also said that the two passengers were arrested as “the live wild turtles were being illicitly imported into India without valid documents or licence.”
In April, an AirAsia flight saw a similar debacle when Indian airport authorities found 22 snakes in the baggage of a woman who arrived at the Chennai airport from Kuala Lumpur.
In April, an AirAsia flight saw a similar debacle when Indian airport authorities found 22 snakes in the baggage of a woman who arrived at the Chennai airport from Kuala Lumpur. – Screen grab pic, June 26, 2023
Based on local media reports then, 22 snakes of various species and a chameleon were found packed in transparent plastic containers and seized under customs and wildlife protection laws.
The incident sparked a variety of reactions from netizens, with numerous people raising serious concerns over how Malaysian authorities had failed to notice the stowaway serpents.
The Royal Malaysian Customs Department had then pointed the finger at Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) auxiliary police for the fiasco, with the former claiming that the “in-line baggage” screening is the responsibility of the latter.
The department added that centralised screening of international flight passengers will be implemented at KLIA Terminal 2 with the collaboration of MAHB. – The Vibes, June 26, 2023
Based on local media reports then, 22 snakes of various species and a chameleon were found packed in transparent plastic containers and seized under customs and wildlife protection laws.
The incident sparked a variety of reactions from netizens, with numerous people raising serious concerns over how Malaysian authorities had failed to notice the stowaway serpents.
The Royal Malaysian Customs Department had then pointed the finger at Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) auxiliary police for the fiasco, with the former claiming that the “in-line baggage” screening is the responsibility of the latter.
The department added that centralised screening of international flight passengers will be implemented at KLIA Terminal 2 with the collaboration of MAHB. – The Vibes, June 26, 2023
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kt comments:
What the frig-ate???!!! Smuggling snakes into India??? That's akin to "taking coal to Newcastle", wakakaka.
Dei, India has the 2nd most number of snakes in the world, next only to Brazil. Read the attached:
Times of India:
Shetphal Village: A place where cobras and humans live together as a family!
Synopsis
Located in Solapur district in Maharashtra, Shetphal Village is about 200 km from Pune. So what makes this hamlet so special? Well, the village takes snakes very seriously. So much so that, here the snakes are not only worshipped, …
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Precious Rongmei
Precious Rongmei likes to tell people that she loves travelling – a lot.
Precious Rongmei likes to tell people that she loves travelling – a lot.
Photo courtesy: Pixabay
Bet you have never come across a village more quirkier than Shetpal Village. Located in Solapur district in Maharashtra, Shetphal Village is about 200 km from Pune. So what makes this hamlet so special? Well, the village takes snakes very seriously. So much so that, here the snakes are not only worshipped, but are also given a permanent place to live. And that’s in every single house.
Here, we are not talking about any garden variety snake, we are talking about the Indian cobra, one of the most feared snakes in the world.
In the village, these snakes are treated as family members. And just as any family member would, snakes have the freedom to be anywhere in the house. And that’s just what happens in the confines of one’s home. In the village too, these snakes are allowed to roam freely, just like any other resident.
How this level of comfort is achieved, nobody can explain, but something that can’t be explained doesn’t necessarily mean it is not true. Would you be interested to check this out for yourself?
Bet you have never come across a village more quirkier than Shetpal Village. Located in Solapur district in Maharashtra, Shetphal Village is about 200 km from Pune. So what makes this hamlet so special? Well, the village takes snakes very seriously. So much so that, here the snakes are not only worshipped, but are also given a permanent place to live. And that’s in every single house.
Here, we are not talking about any garden variety snake, we are talking about the Indian cobra, one of the most feared snakes in the world.
In the village, these snakes are treated as family members. And just as any family member would, snakes have the freedom to be anywhere in the house. And that’s just what happens in the confines of one’s home. In the village too, these snakes are allowed to roam freely, just like any other resident.
How this level of comfort is achieved, nobody can explain, but something that can’t be explained doesn’t necessarily mean it is not true. Would you be interested to check this out for yourself?
Photo courtesy: Pixabay
Snakes and spirituality go hand in hand in this village. Here, each and every house has a special area designated for the cobras, a temple in fact. This special snake abode is called devasthanam and people are so dedicated to this that when they construct a new house, they make sure to reserve a place for the snake.
In case you are wondering, what about the children? Don’t worry, children are absolutely fine and are happily sharing even their classroom space with the cobras. There is no fear whatsoever. Well, it is also true that we fear only the unknown.
Shetphal, also known as the Land of Snakes, is a village where cobras are the same as any other pets. Would you visit this village?
Snakes and spirituality go hand in hand in this village. Here, each and every house has a special area designated for the cobras, a temple in fact. This special snake abode is called devasthanam and people are so dedicated to this that when they construct a new house, they make sure to reserve a place for the snake.
In case you are wondering, what about the children? Don’t worry, children are absolutely fine and are happily sharing even their classroom space with the cobras. There is no fear whatsoever. Well, it is also true that we fear only the unknown.
Shetphal, also known as the Land of Snakes, is a village where cobras are the same as any other pets. Would you visit this village?
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