On Friday, four men hailing from Tiruchy and Pudukottai were arrested by Bengaluru Air Customs for trafficking more than 30 exotic birds like Raggiana Bird of Paradise (national bird of Papua New Guinea), Sulawesi Myna (endemic to Indonesia) and Magnificient Riflebird (New Guinea and Australia). Around 10 of them died during transit from Bangkok, sources said.
The seizure comes two weeks after over 50 exotic birds and animals, including marsupials native to Pacific Ocean islands, smuggled in from Malaysia and Thailand were seized at Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports. Officials are investigating the links of these seizures to Syed Liyaqath Ulla, a Bengaluru-based pet trader who is allegedly a business associate of S Ravikumar, the dismissed TN policeman identified as a lynchpin of the international wildlife trade in Chennai.
Ulla was arrested by Andhra Pradesh forest officials in Srikakulam on November 12 while carrying 21 exotic species from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru. He was released on bail a few days later, official sources said.
Ravikumar is currently in jail after he was detained under Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA) by Chennai Customs.
Tamil Nadu link
November 24, Hyderabad airport; Arrested-Two Hyderabad women
Rattle snake (10)
Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman (4)
Eastern Coral snake (2)
Ball pythons (17)
Shingleback skink/
Bobtail lizard (5)
Asian Forest Tortoise (3)
November 24, Vizag airport; Arrested – Two Chennai men
Dwarf Caiman (6)
November 22, Bengaluru airport; Arrested- Four men (Tiruchirapalli, Pudukottai, Srirangam)
Blue crowned hanging parrot (5, one dead)
Red whiskered bulbul (12, four dead)
Raggiana Bird of Paradise (2)
Sulawesi Myna (3, 2 dead)
Lesser Bird of Paradise (2 dead)
Magnificent Riflebird (2, 1 dead)
