Indian authorities arrested a Canadian man at New Delhi’s airport after he tried to convey a crocodile cranium on his flight.
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Details On Crocodile Skull Discovered At India Airport
Delhi Customs stopped the 32-year-old at safety check-in at Indira Gandhi International Airport earlier than his flight to Canada on Jan. 6. Authorities initially discovered the person, whose identification has not been disclosed, carrying “a skull with sharp teeth,” per PEOPLE.
In a submit on X (previously Twitter, Delhi Customs shared that the merchandise resembled the jaw of a child crocodile. CNN studies the Department of Forests and Wildlife performed a forensic examination of the cranium and confirmed it was a child crocodile. The animal is a protected species beneath the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The group decided this by inspecting the crocodile cranium’s texture, tooth sample, bony palate, and form of it’s nostrils.
Subsequently, authorities arrested the person for illegally possessing the cranium. In addition to, making an attempt to export a protected wildlife merchandise, and breaking the Customs Act of 1962. Furthermore, the division of Forests and Wildlife took possession of the crocodile head for laboratory testing.
“This case highlights a serious violation of wildlife and customs laws,” Delhi Customs wrote. “Collaboration between Customs and Forest Departments is crucial to ensuring such protected wildlife items are not smuggled.”
🚨 Canadian Man Arrested at IGI Airport, New Delhi for carrying Crocodile Skull 🐊
Customs Department
IGI Airport, New Delhi
Date: 06.01.2025Flight and Passenger Details:
•Flight Number: Air Canada (AC 051)
•Route: New Delhi to Canada
•Date of Departure: 06.01.2025… pic.twitter.com/qX4qX3nyqZ— Delhi Customs (Airport & General) (@AirportGenCus) January 9, 2025
What’s Next For The Crocodile Skull & More Info About Wildlife Trafficking In India
Delhi Customs has began an additional investigation into the incident. Atul Bagai, the previous Head of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in India, advised CNN that India typically faces wildlife trafficking, making the person’s seize a big success.
“India is among the top ten countries in terms of using the airline sector for wildlife trafficking. This is an unwanted accolade,” Bagai defined.
CNN shares that this isn’t the primary time somebody has tried to smuggle animals or animal elements by the airports in India. Between 2011 and 2020, airports noticed 141 wildlife seizure incidents, involving 146 totally different animal species. Reptiles had been among the many mostly discovered, making up 46% of the seizures, which included crocodiles, lizards, snakes, and tortoises.
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