Second attempt in 2 weeks: 2 gibbons smuggled from Bangkok seized at Chennai airport

CHENNAI: Customs sleuths at Chennai airport seized two gibbon monkeys from a flyer who arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, marking the second thwarted attempt to smuggle gibbons in the last two weeks via Chennai.The flyer landed in Chennai on a Thai Airways flight in the early hours of Tuesday and was intercepted by customs sleuths on suspicion. Upon examination of his checked-in trolley bag, two pet bags were found concealed beneath chocolates and other food items. Customs sleuths found two live monkeys of different species, identified as an Agile Gibbon (Hylobates agilis) and an Eastern Grey Gibbon (Hylobates funerus), hidden inside the pet bags.

They were seized, and the wildlife bureau was informed. They identified the monkeys and provided suitable care. The monkeys were deported on the same flight back to Thailand, and the flyer was remanded in judicial custody.

Customs sources stated that the flyer was a mere carrier engaged by a smuggler, and further investigation is ongoing to ascertain the latter’s identity. On June 18, customs sleuths also seized an Agile Gibbon and an Eastern Grey Gibbon from a flyer who landed here from Thailand.

Since smugglers attempted to smuggle the same gibbon species within a gap of two weeks, customs sleuths suspect that there might be a specific demand for the species in the illegal pet market. Both gibbon varieties, in high demand in the international pet trade, are endangered, and the Agile Gibbon is on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).Meanwhile, customs sleuths also seized 700 grams of gold from three different flyers. On June 30, customs sleuths secured a flyer at the domestic terminal at Chennai airport. He travelled from Dubai to Dhaka, then to Kolkata, and reached Chennai by an Indigo flight. About 409 grams of gold he had hidden in his rectum was seized. On Tuesday, a flyer from Singapore was secured for smuggling 150 grams of gold, and on Wednesday, another flyer from Dubai was caught with another 150 grams of gold.