DRI rescues 6 exotic blue tongued lizards at Vizag airport, 2 flyers held
Hyderabad: Hyderabad zonal unit of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) rescued half a dozen blue exotic tongued lizards concealed in cake packets and deported to Thailand after arresting two passengers at Visakhapatnam airport.
Acting on a specific intelligence, officers of DRI intercepted two passengers travelling from Bangkok, Thailand at Visakhapatnam airport. On questioning and examining two baggage carried by the two passengers, six live exotic animals were found concealed in cake packets.
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) certified that the seized wildlife species appeared to be alive eastern blue tongued lizards whose scientific name is Tiliqua scincoides scincoides.
The lizards in Appendix- III of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Schedule-IV of the Wildlife Protection Act- 1972. As per EXIM policy, import of live animals listed in Wildlife (Protection) Act-1972 and CITES without a valid Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) license, No-Objection Certificate (NOCs) from chief wildlife warden and MoEF&CC.
The MoEF&CC, CITES export permit and animal quarantine certificate are prohibited. Also, the exotic wild animals eastern blue-tongued lizards are prohibited goods under Section 2(33) of the Customs Act-1962.
All the live eastern blue tongued lizards were seized and deported to Thailand. The two passengers were arrested under Customs Act read with Wild Life Protection Act- 1972 and further investigation is in progress.