Bhubaneswar: Customs officials Saturday seized exotic wildlife, including kingsnakes, monitor lizards and turtles, at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar.
The seized wildlife concealed in chocolate boxes were being smuggled from Thai capital Bangkok to Chennai, Injeet Kumar Mohanty, a customs official engaged at the airport said.
Acting on a tip-off, the luggage of a person hailing from Chennai was searched and the seizures were made, he said, adding the passenger was detained and he was being questioned.
A total of nine California kingsnakes, 10 pig nose turtles and 12 Nile monitor lizards were seized, of which three lizards were dead, he said.
The wildlife species have been handed over to the forest department.
During preliminary investigation, it was found that the exotic species were being taken to the Tamil Nadu capital for sale, Mohanty added.
PTI
