Vipers in luggage on Thailand to India flight spark trafficking alarm
Over 7,000 animals intercepted on Thailand-India route since 2021
Customs officers at an Indian airport were in for a slithery surprise last week after discovering dozens of venomous snakes and turtles stuffed inside checked luggage on a flight from Thailand, in what experts say is part of a “very troubling” surge in exotic animal trafficking.
The suspect, an Indian national, was arrested after officials found the live cargo, including several rare spider-tailed horned vipers, a deadly species first described by scientists in 2006 and currently listed as “near-threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The seizure is the latest in a disturbing trend of wildlife trafficking between Thailand and India, according to Traffic, an NGO that monitors the global trade in wild animals and plants.
The group warned that more than 7,000 animals, both alive and dead, have been intercepted along this route in the last 3.5 years.
Kanitha Krishnasamy, Southeast Asia director for Traffic, said, “The almost-weekly discoveries and the sheer diversity of wildlife heading to India are very troubling. It’s clear the demand for exotic pets is driving this dangerous trade.”
Most of the creatures confiscated were still alive, highlighting the cruel and risky conditions in which animals are trafficked.
“It’s a conveyor belt of suffering,” Krishnasamy added.
The NGO’s analysis revealed that while Thailand is the primary departure point, over 80% of interceptions happen in India.
Even more alarming, more than a third of the seized wildlife falls under strict international trade regulations, meaning their transport is illegal or highly restricted.
Traffic called for increased collaboration between Thailand and its regional neighbours to dismantle the criminal networks enabling the trade.
“The scale and frequency of these incidents suggest well-organised smuggling operations that need urgent investigation,” the group stated.
Thailand has long been a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers, with black market buyers in China, Vietnam and Taiwan driving demand for rare and endangered animals, reported The Peninsula Qatar.
Just last month, Thai officials arrested a man attempting to smuggle two baby orangutans, a high-value species on the exotic pet market, into the country.
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