Indian customs authorities intercepted a passenger attempting to smuggle dozens of venomous snakes into Mumbai after arriving from Thailand, officials confirmed late Sunday.
According to Mumbai Customs, the passenger—an Indian national whose identity has not been disclosed—had hidden the reptiles in their checked-in luggage. The haul included 44 Indonesian pit vipers and three Spider-tailed horned vipers, a rare species known for its venom but typically only dangerous to small prey like birds. The smuggler also carried five Asian leaf turtles.
Customs released photos of the seized animals, showing vividly colored snakes—some blue and yellow—writhing inside a plastic bucket.
While wildlife smuggling isn’t unheard of at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the seizure of venomous snakes is rare. More commonly, customs officials deal with gold smuggling, illegal narcotics, or passengers caught swallowing cocaine-filled capsules.
Still, Mumbai has seen a string of exotic animal smuggling attempts in recent months. In February, customs officers apprehended a traveler attempting to sneak in five endangered Siamang gibbons, a small ape native to Southeast Asia. The animals were hidden in a plastic crate stashed inside a trolley bag.
Just months earlier, officers seized 12 live turtles in November and four hornbill birds in October—both cases also involving flights from Thailand.
Officials say these incidents highlight growing concerns over the illegal wildlife trade and the use of commercial flights to smuggle rare and endangered species into India.
