Exotic species including snakes, tortoises seized from Bhubaneswar airport

Bhubaneswar: Customs officials at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar on Saturday seized a variety of exotic species, including Californian king snakes, monitor lizards, chameleons and tortoises from a man who was on his way to Chennai from Hong Kong.

Assistant Commissioner of Customs Ranjit Kumar Mohanty said a man named Shankar Murugan from Chennai landed at the airport with a luggage that looked suspicious. The animals were allegedly being smuggled from Bangkok to Chennai via Bhubaneswar.

The reptiles seized from the passenger included 9 Californian king snakes, 10 chameleons, 12 River Fly tortoises and 3 monitor lizards. Following the seizure, officials from the Odisha Forest Department were immediately called to the scene. The department launched a thorough investigation to determine the intended destination of these trafficked animals and the individuals involved in the smuggling network.

The Forest Department then took the rescued snakes, turtles and monitor lizards to Nandankanan Zoological Park.