LAHORE: Customs authorities have foiled a bid to smuggle species of pigeon from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Lahore at of Allama Iqbal International Airport.
Sources told Customs Today that the customs officials recovered the pigeons from the possession of Abdul Rehman who attempted to smuggle them and handed over the pigeon to the Wild Life Punjab.
The sources informed that the accused passenger, who arrived at Lahore airport through PK 760, had concealed the pigeons in his luggage tactfully.
During interrogation, it was revealed that the accused was smuggling the pigeons to keep the birds pet in home; however, the authorities did not allow him to take the birds with him and seized on the spot. The wild life authorities registered a case and started investigation.
The attempts of smuggling of such unique birds have been made many times from the airport and many a time a good number of various kinds of the birds were seized by the customs authorities at the airport.
Earlier, the customs captured tortoise, parrots, falcons and other birds from the airport and handed over to the wild life department.
It was said that smuggling of such birds has been increased in the recent time due to their high value in market while the authorities have also scaled up measures to curtail the activities.
