CHENNAI: In a rare development pointing to a shift in smuggling tactics, Customs officials at Bengaluru International Airport arrested two Thai women for allegedly attempting to bring in exotic wildlife, including a baby monkey and protected birds, from Thailand into India around three weeks ago.
According to sources, the arrests indicate that international wildlife trafficking syndicates based in Thailand and Malaysia may now be employing foreign nationals as carriers to evade detection by Customs and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials at Indian airports.
Until now, Indian nationals -- mostly from Tamil Nadu -- were commonly used as mules to bring in protected species such as primates, reptiles and exotic birds.
Although a Malaysian woman was intercepted at Chennai airport in 2024, she was later found to be of Indian origin with roots in Tamil Nadu. Officials believe that many of the “kingpins” orchestrating these smuggling operations from Southeast Asia also hail from Tamil Nadu.
The two Thai nationals, No-Ree Tenglong and Faesah Makseng, both aged 30, arrived in Bengaluru on Thai Airways flight TG-325 from Bangkok. During a baggage check, Customs officials discovered a Douc Langur, an endangered primate native to Southeast Asia, and two Writhed Hornbills, which are endemic to the Philippines.
Both species are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Wildlife Protection Act. While the langur died in transit, the birds were rescued by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), treated and later deported to Thailand in accordance with international protocols.
“In earlier cases, the carriers were mostly young men from Chennai, Tiruchy and Ramanathapuram. The involvement of foreigners as mules comes as a surprise,” said a senior official.
Officials noted that most seizures in India take place on a specific set of flights from Malaysia and Thailand. The gangs, it is believed, may be attempting to circumvent this by changing the passenger profile, say sources.