The venomous snakes included three spider-tailed horned vipers, known to use luring to capture birds, and 44 Indonesian pit vipers. Five Asian leaf turtles, which are a CITES Appendix-II animal, were also seized.
Indian officials seized a cache of Asian leaf turtles and venomous snakes from an Indian national who checked the animals in checked in baggage, according to the Mumbai Customs Zone III, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India. The Indian national who had arrived from Thailand, was arrested.
The venomous snakes included three spider-tailed horned vipers, known to use luring to capture birds, and 44 Indonesian pit vipers. Five Asian leaf turtles, which are a CITES Appendix-II animal, were also seized.
On 01.06.2025, officers at CSMIA seized 3 Spider-Tailed Horned Vipers & 5 Asian Leaf Turtles (CITES Appendix-II), along with 44 Indonesian Pit Vipers, concealed in checked-in baggage. An Indian national arriving from Thailand was arrested. pic.twitter.com/C07R2Y58ZX
— Mumbai Customs-III (@mumbaicus3) June 1, 2025
Thailand is a hub for the illicit wildlife trade, with some estimates putting the trade at $20 billion year. To combat the illegal wildlife trade, Thailand enacted the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act in 2019, which safeguarded non-native species and increased prison times for traffickers to up to 20 years.
Spider-tailed Horned Viper Uses Spider-Like Tail To Capture Birds
