Upon arrival in India, a passenger was apprehended for smuggling two endangered apes concealed in his luggage.
Customs officials at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport made a shocking discovery on October 30 when they found two rare silvery gibbons hidden in a basket inside a passenger’s bag. Video footage captured at the airport showed officials with one of the animals, believed to be approximately two and four months old, respectively.
Tragically, one of the gibbons had already died. An Indian customs official reported, “During the search, we found two gibbons. One approximately two months old and the other around four months old, concealed within a basket placed inside a trolley bag.”
These primates, native to Indonesian forests, are classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Initial investigations suggest that the passenger, identified as a foreign national, had traveled from Malaysia to Thailand before entering India.
Authorities suspect that a member of an international smuggling ring handed the bag containing the gibbons to the passenger in Thailand, instructing him to transport it to India. The syndicate is believed to have coordinated the passenger’s travel and logistics.
Efforts are underway to identify other individuals involved in this smuggling operation. Recent studies indicate a significant risk of the silvery gibbon, scientifically known as Hylobates moloch, facing extinction within the next century, according to the IUCN.
Chester Zoo highlights that these apes typically stay with their families for eight years and have a lifespan of around 35 years, which can extend to 50 years under human care.
In a separate incident in 2022, customs officials in Munich, Germany, were shocked to find two whole roasted antelopes in a passenger’s luggage. The woman, a Ghanaian national, claimed the antelopes were intended as a snack for her journey, as they are considered a delicacy in her country. Despite her explanation, the antelopes were confiscated and destroyed due to animal health regulations.
Thomas Meister, a spokesperson for Customs Headquarters in Munich, described the seizure of the antelopes as exceptional and necessary under the circumstances.
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