NEW DELHI: A surprise check by Customs officials at the Chennai International Airport unearthed an ‘animal farm.’
Four pythons, two mongooses, three white squirrels, four big spiders, five small spiders and two chameleons ‘tumbled’ out of the baggage of a passenger, who arrived from Kuala Lumpur by a Malaysian Airlines flight (MH-180) around 11.30 p.m. on Thursday.
The Customs officials gave the name of the accused as Habeeb Nassar, 55, a native of Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu.
While screening the passenger’s baggage, the crew grew suspicious when they saw a special container that was shaped like a basket. In this container, the officials found these animals kept in separate compartments.
The man was arrested and remanded in custody on Friday while the animals were handed over to Forest Department officials at Guindy.
This incident follows the arrest of two people who were trying to smuggle 200 star tortoises to Kuala Lumpur.
“Though snakes have been seized many times, we have never witnessed lizards and spiders being smuggled,” said airport sources.
