CHENNAI: The seizure of 21 exotic species by Andhra Pradesh forest officials in Srikakulam on November 12 has exposed a well-oiled pan-Indian crime syndicate as, one of the arrested persons, Syed Liyaqath Ulla from Bengaluru, is a close business associate of S Ravikumar, the dismissed Tamil Nadu cop identified as a lynchpin of the international trade in Chennai, said official sources.
This has got the Indian intelligence agencies to investigate the syndicate’s role in the seizure of 50 exotic species smuggled in from Thailand and Malaysia in three cases by customs at Bengaluru airport (November 8 and 12) and Hyderabad airport (November 15). One of the carriers arrested in Bengaluru is a native of Tiruchy. Several rare birds and marsupials native to Pacific Ocean islands and an alligator were part of the seizures.
Liyaqath (29) was arrested with two accomplices for possession of 17 African ball pythons, three sulcata tortoises and one African serval cat which he was transporting from Bhubaneshwar into Bengaluru, where he runs Karnataka aquarium, a shop which sells exotic pets.
Sources said Ravikumar, who is accused of smuggling `70 crore worth exotic species from Thailand, sold some of these as pets through Liyaqath’s shop, and his Instagram handle (syed exotic pets). They also claim to have evidence showing species like poisonous snakes, a lizard, and alligators smuggled by Ravikumar through Chennai airport were sent to Liyaqath’s shop in Bengaluru using public transport. Ravikumar is currently in jail after Chennai customs arrested and later detained him under Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA).
Liyaqath was caught when he was bringing back animals sold to a buyer in Odisha who did not pay up, sources said. “Liyaqath’s tentacles spread far and wide, and are much bigger,” a top official told TNIE. Liyaqath had told officials that this trade is legal and that he has necessary documents.
On Instagram, there are several videos of exotic species sold by Karnataka Aquarium. These include iguanas, a bald eagle, and snakes. Some of the animals smuggled in by Ravikumar include marmoset monkeys, sugar gliders, lizards and several varieties of snakes, sources said.
In August, officials of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and TN Forest department had discovered a house in Kolathur rented by Ravikumar where he stored these smuggled animals before selling them.
The house also had several Indian tortoises and turtles which were kept ready for trafficking to Malaysia. WCCB later issued an alert linking TN wildlife smugglers to Malaysia’s notorious Ninja Turtle gang.
Busted
November 15: (Hyderabad air customs) Eastern spotted cuscus, brown plain cuscus (marsupials) from Thailand
November 12: (Srikakulam Andhra Pradesh) African sulcata tortoise, African ball python, African serval cat
November 12: (Bengaluru air customs) Agile gibbon, American alligator, spider tortoise, yellow footed tortoise, iguana, Aldabra giant tortoise, red footed tortoise, bearded lizard, shingleback skink, rhinoceros iguana, Albino bat from Malaysia
November 8: (Bengaluru air Customs) Yellow parrot, king bird-of-paradise, flame bowerbird
Ravikumar smuggles animals from Thailand and Malaysia to Chennai, sends it to Bengaluru for sale via Syed Exotic Pets owned by Liyaqath
