Tougher action to curb Southeast Asia-India wildlife smuggling by air
Authorities are ramping up their response to the incessant smuggling of wildlife in passenger luggage between Southeast Asia and India, introducing new guidelines for airlines and bringing offenders to justice.
In a maverick move, India’s Directorate of Civil Aviation has issued updated guidelines that place the full responsibility and cost of illegal wildlife import on the airlines involved.
The circular issued on 23 July, applies to all aircraft operators and airlines operating in India.
Airlines will be held accountable for the cost of repatriating the animals to their country of origin, their care and welfare until repatriation, and completing all documentation and compliance procedures
“This is exactly the type of decisive action we need, especially with the frequency of cases involving airlines and airports. When transport and logistics sector are part of the illegal trade chain, it's only right they become part of the solution,”
Kanitha Krishnasamy, Director for TRAFFIC in Southeast Asia. The circular also requires airlines to establish and implement preventive mechanisms to detect and deter unauthorized carriage of live animals by passengers into India, train staff at check-in counters, boarding gates and in-flight operations and display passenger advisories and signage on the matter.
Meanwhile Malaysia’s Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) told local media that it had foiled at least 10 attempts to smuggled wildlife in passenger luggage to India between January and July this year.
The enforcement action saw the rescue of 4,958 wild animals from 32 species of mammals, reptiles and birds and the arrest of eight Malaysians, two Indonesian and two Indian nationals.
A number of those arrested have been prosecuted under Malaysia’s Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN) securing convictions that resulted in prison terms and fines.
Most recently on 1 August, Mubarak Ali Mohamed Ibrahim, a Malaysian caught at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport with a gibbon Symphalangus syndactylus, an Endangered Siamang and two Silvery langurs in his bag was fined a total RM110,000 (~USD 26,000) on three charges of illegally keeping the animals.
Earlier on 13 June, Indian national Abdul Jaffar Mohideen Abdul Kadar who was caught in April with Critically Endangered Sulawesi Forest Turtles Leucocephalon yuwonoi and other reptiles in his bag was given one year of jail on each of four charges of illegally keeping fully protected wildlife. The court ordered the terms to run concurrently.
Several more offenders are in the dock in ongoing cases including two Indian nationals – one caught with an Agile Gibbon Hylobates agilis and six Albino Yellow Headed Temple Turtles Heosemys annandalii and another for attempting to export 2,578 Red-eared sliders.
At least two more Malaysian men have also been charged with various offences under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, one for having 168 wildlife in his bag including the Critically Endangered Indochinese Box Turtles Cuora galbinifrons and the Endangered Pig-nosed turtle Carettochelys insculpta ; and another for attempting to export two East Javan Langurs Trachypithecus auratus and 2 Endangered Eastern Grey Gibbons Hylobates funereus.
