Rare Australian Lizards caught being smuggled at Vizag Airport

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) apprehended two passengers at Visakhapatnam International Airport on the night of November 24, 2024, for the attempted smuggling of six live exotic Eastern Blue Tongue Lizards concealed in cake packets. These lizards, native to Australia, are a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and are listed in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officials inspected the passengers’ baggage upon their arrival from Bangkok, Thailand, uncovering the rare reptiles. Deputy Director Puja Pundkar confirmed the seizure, describing the operation as part of a broader crackdown on wildlife smuggling.

A snake catcher, R Kiran Kumar, was called in to safely retrieve and handle the lizards. Following certification by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), the reptiles were repatriated to Thailand on November 26.

The two suspects were caught smuggling at the airport, and have been detained under the Customs Act, 1962, and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and are currently in custody at Visakhapatnam Prison. Investigations are ongoing to trace the smuggling network.

This incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of illegal wildlife trafficking in the region. Earlier this month, over 50 exotic animals smuggled from Malaysia and Thailand were seized at Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports. Authorities are examining possible links to Syed Liyaqath Ulla, a Bengaluru-based pet trader connected to S Ravikumar, a dismissed Tamil Nadu policeman implicated in international wildlife trade. Ulla, recently arrested in Srikakulam while transporting exotic species was released on bail shortly after.

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