A man was apprehended by authorities at an airport in India after attempting to bring a baby crocodile skull onto his flight, according to PEOPLE. Delhi Customs announced on X that the 32-year-old man was
“intercepted”
during a security check at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) prior to his flight from New Delhi to Canada on Monday, January 6.
Authorities initially found that the man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was carrying
“a skull with sharp teeth… wrapped in a cream-colored cloth.”
They noted that it appeared to be
“the jaw of a baby crocodile”
and weighed nearly 2 pounds. The skull was later sent for forensic analysis by the Department of Forests and Wildlife (GNCTD), which confirmed that it belonged to a baby crocodile—an animal protected under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 (WLPA).
The organization reached its conclusion based on the skull’s
“texture, tooth pattern, well-developed bony palate,”
and the shape of its
“nostrils.”
The man was then arrested for illegal possession, attempting to export a
“protected wildlife item,”
and violating the Customs Act of 1962, which forbids the misdeclaration, illegal export, and smuggling of such items, according to Delhi Customs.
The crocodile skull was transferred to the Department of Forests and Wildlife
“for lab testing.”
Delhi Customs also noted that a
“further investigation”
into the incident had been initiated. Such occurrences have led India, along with other nations like Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, to intensify efforts against wildlife trafficking by collaborating to share criminal intelligence in recent years, as reported by The Hindu.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
