Wildlife smuggling spike: Man caught with monkeys, tortoises at Chennai airport

In a disturbing reminder of Chennai’s growing role in global wildlife trafficking, a man arriving from Bangkok was arrested at Chennai airport on Wednesday night for smuggling two live monkeys of different species and seven tortoises. The animals were concealed in ventilated carry bags and cloth sacks.

Customs officials apprehended the passenger, who has since been remanded to judicial custody. The seized animals were immediately repatriated to Thailand, their country of origin.

Importing wildlife without proper authorization violates multiple laws, including the Customs Act (1962), the Wildlife Protection Act (1972), and international CITES regulations aimed at protecting endangered species from illegal trade.

Officials say this is part of a concerning trend. Chennai airport has seen a series of high-profile seizures of exotic animals—primarily trafficked from Southeast Asia—for the illegal pet trade. In August 2024, Customs intercepted a smuggler carrying 22 rare animals, including snakes, turtles, and flying monkeys. Just weeks earlier, another was caught with 14 pythons, 30 blue iguanas, and 4 squirrels.

Back in 2022, at least 11 smuggling cases were reported at the airport involving species like albino porcupines, sugar gliders, and tamarin monkeys.

Experts warn that Chennai is becoming a critical hub in the global wildlife smuggling network, with traffickers exploiting it as a transit point for rare animals destined for the underground pet market.

Customs officials have since stepped up surveillance and rapid response units to combat the illegal trade.