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Indian customs officers in Mumbai said they have stopped a plane passenger arriving from Thailand with a wriggling cargo of live snakes, the third such seizure this month. "Customs officers... foiled yet another wildlife smuggling attempt, 16 live snakes... seized from passenger returning from Thailand," said customs officers in the airport in the Indian financial hub. The passenger, who arrived on Sunday, has been arrested, the customs agency said in a statement, with "further investigation un
Bhubaneswar: Nature lovers have a fresh reason to visit Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha's Bhubaneswar, as the famed wildlife sanctuary welcomed seven baby yellow anacondas into its reptilian fold on Sunday -- a rare and exciting addition that underscores the zoo's growing reputation as a haven for exotic species. The tiny hatchlings were born to a breeding pair of yellow anacondas brought to Nandankanan from the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Chennai in October 2019. With these new arrivals, the zoo now proudly houses a thriving family of 14 yellow anacondas -- two adult males, two adul ...Read More >
Mumbai: The Mumbai Airport Customs in six separate cases between September 12-15 have seized hydroponic weed worth Rs 49.16 crore, recovered 68 dead and alive exotic wildlife animals and seized foreign currency worth around Rs 16 lakh. Four Passengers Arrested in Narcotics Cases According to the Customs sources four cases were related to the recovery and seizure of hydroponic weed. In the first case, on the basis of specific intelligence, the Customs officers at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai, intercepted one passenger arriving from Tashkent. During the ex ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has filed a chargesheet against YouTuber Siddharth Yadav alias Elvish Yadav, his friend and singer Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuriya apart from two others, and charged them with money laundering in an alleged wildlife crime involving protected snakes and lizards, official sources said. The prosecution complaint was filed on October 13 before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Gurugram, Haryana. The court is yet to take cognisance of the chargesheet. Yadav (28), Fazilpuriya (35), a company named Sky Digital India Pvt. Ltd. and its di ...Read More >
Jhansi: A bomb threat delayed the Durg-bound Chhattisgarh Sampark Kranti Express on Friday night, when it was halted at Virangana Laxmibai Jhansi railway station for nearly an hour. The threat turned out to be a hoax, and the train resumed its journey after a thorough inspection. According to SP, GRP, Vipul Srivastav, after the train left Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi around 6pm on Friday, a call was recieved at the railway helpline 139, claiming that a bomb had been planted in a sleeper coach of the train. The railway control room in Lucknow started preparations for search of the ...Read More >
Guwahati: At least 42 poachers were arrested, six major rhino poaching gangs with links to illegal trade of animal parts through Myanmar were identified and nine poaching attempts were foiled under 'Operation Falcon' by the Assam Police and forest department since the operation was launched last year.CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shared a video on 'X' on Monday, hailing the success of the departments' efforts against poaching. He said the operation broke the back of poaching and illegal animal trade. He ...Read More >
COIMBATORE: The air intelligence unit (AIU) of the customs department seized 3.155 kg of hydroponic weed from a woman passenger who arrived at the Coimbatore International Airport from Bangkok in Thailand via Singapore on a Scoot Airlines flight on Friday night. The AIU received a tip-off about smuggling of hydroponic weed (ganja grown in a water-based and nutrient-rich solution, instead of in soil) to Coimbatore International Airport. The Scoot Airlines flight landed here around 11.16 pm, and AIU officers began checking the baggage of the passengers.A woman passenger hailing from Kerala had s ...Read More >
The officials said that the seizures were made following the operations conducted on Monday and Tuesday. According to the Mumbai Customs officials, in one of the operation, a passenger, who had come from Bangkok, was apprehended with 11.922 kilograms of hydroponic marijuana, valued at about Rs 11.92 crore. In an another operation, Customs officials intercepted two passengers arriving from Hong Kong. During examination of their baggage, they recovered 7.864 kilograms of hydroponic weed, valued a ...Read More >
MUMBAI, Oct 31 -- Indian customs officers have arrested a plane passenger after discovering two endangered gibbons stuffed inside a checked bag, the latest animals seized from smugglers at Mumbai's airport. One of the tiny apes from Indonesia was dead, while the other, in a video shared by Indian Customs, was seen cradled in the arms of an officer, softly hooting before covering its face with its arm. Customs said the passenger, who had travelled from Malaysia via Thailand, was given the rare apes by a wildlife trafficking "syndicate" for delivery in India. Officers acting on "specific inte ...Read More >
BENGALURU: The Headquarter Investigative Unit-II of Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in New Delhi has provisionally attached immovable properties of Rs 34.12 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), in a case related to the transnational gold smuggling and laundering of its proceeds by the popular Kannada actress Harshavardini Ranya alias Ranya Rao and her associates. The ED has provisionally attached four properties of equivalent value belonging to Rao. These include a residential house in Victoria Layout, a residential plot in Arkavathi Layout, industrial land in Tumakuru, ...Read More >
Mumbai: In a move set to significantly enhance India's gem and jewellery export infrastructure, the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), in collaboration with Mumbai Customs, inaugurated the Jewellery Hand Carriage Facilitation Centre at Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Wednesday.Recognising the strategic importance of enabling seamless hand carriage, GJEPC secured and equipped a dedicated space at the airport. With the premises now officially notified as a customs area and Bharat Diamond Bourse appointed as custodian, the centre is fully operatio ...Read More >
Customs officials in Kerala are conducting raids at multiple locations, including the residences of actors Prithviraj and Dulquer Salmaan, as part of "Operation Numkhor." The operation investigates alleged tax evasion involving luxury vehicles imported from Bhutan using fraudulent registrations. Authorities are examining vehicle documents and have detected approximately 15 violations related to this scheme. Residences of Malayalam stars Prithviraj Sukumaran (Thevara) and Dulquer Salmaan (Panampi ...Read More >
NEW DELHI - Indian customs officers in Mumbai said they have stopped a plane passenger arriving from Thailand with a wriggling cargo of live snakes, the third such seizure in June. "Customs officers... foiled yet another wildlife smuggling attempt, 16 live snakes... seized from a passenger returning from Thailand," said a customs officer at Mumbai's airport The passenger, who arrived on June 29, has been arrested, the customs agency said in a statement, with "further investigation underway". The live snakes included reptiles often sold in the pet trade, and were largely non-venomous, or wit ...Read More >
Lucknow: Enforcement Directorate's Lucknow unit filed prosecution complaint against YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT season 2 winner Elvish Yadav and three others under Prevention of Money Laundering Act before a special court in Gurgaon. Court will take cognisance of charges, after which both accused will be summoned. ED also named Chandigarh-based company Sky Digital and its owner as a co-accused in the case.Rs 1 crore assets of Elvish Yadav and his aide Fazilpuria were attached. The duo had used liv ...Read More >
Mumbai Customs officers intercepted a Thane-based woman at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for attempting to smuggle 154 exotic animals. Hidden inside plastic containers in her luggage, the haul included four baby anacondas, iguanas, bearded dragons, tortoises, turtles, lizards, and raccoons. This marks the first time in at least five years that baby anacondas, a foreign snake species, have been seized at Mumbai Airport. The seized species are protected under international law ...Read More >
Bengaluru gold smuggling bust: DRI seized 3.356 kg gold worth ₹5 crore at the airport and arrested five people. The racket used capsules and codes, with suspected insider links. Investigation is ongoing. Bengaluru: In a massive operation, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials have busted a major gold smuggling racket at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIAL). They seized 3.356 kg of pure gold, valued at around ₹5 crore. A total of five people, including some Bangladeshi nationals, have been arrested in connection with the case. Add Asianet Newsable as a Preferred S ...Read More >
Mumbai Customs has arrested a traveller at the international airport here for allegedly trying to smuggle 15 kg of hydroponic weed with an estimated value of Rs 14.73 crore, officials said. The contraband was concealed in a packet labelled as 'Diplomatic Pouch of Ministry of External Affairs', officials said on Sunday. The traveller had landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from Bangkok, an official said. "During the examination of his baggage, Customs officials recov ...Read More >
Mumbai: Drugs, gold and other expensive or illegal items are often seized from passengers during inspection at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, the country's financial capital. However, this time, customs officials seized as many as 48 poisonous snakes and 5 turtles from a passenger. Even the security guards were alarmed when it came to light that the passenger had been found with poisonous snakes. The passenger concerned had been to Thailand and had taken a flight from Bangkok on his way to India. At Mumbai's airport, customs found 48 poisonous snakes and five tur ...Read More >
CHENNAI: Customs officials seized hydroponic ganja worth 9.5 crores in the Chennai airport and arrested three passengers in two seperate incidents on Thursday. The customs received a tip-off that ganja is being smuggled into the country from Thailand at midnight. Following that, the officers were monitoring the passengers closely and, on suspicion, intercepted a male passenger, native of a north Indian state, who had visited Thailand on a tourist visa. The officers found the passenger was evasive in his replies, and his baggage was taken for examination. During the search, the officers found ...Read More >
Jamnagar: Global football icon Lionel Messi on Tuesday visited Vantara, wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and conservation centre founded by Anant Ambani, where he took part in traditional rituals, toured animal care facilities and interacted with conservation teams. Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, was accorded a traditional welcome featuring folk music, floral greetings and a ceremonial aarti. He also participated in temple rituals, offering prayers for peace and unity. During the visit, Messi toured various facilities at Vantara, including care ce ...Read More >
New Delhi, Apr 6 (PTI) The Border Security Force (BSF) is studying the feasibility of releasing crocodiles and snakes in the "vulnerable" riverine gaps along the India-Bangladesh international border to curb illegal infiltration and cross-frontier crimes, officials said on Monday. The plan was discussed during a meeting at the force's headquarters in Delhi on February 9. Following this, field units along the 4,096-km front were asked to provide their opinion. According to data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), about 856 km of this frontier remains unfenced, owing to difficult g ...Read More >
A young woman named Oleti Pushpa (22) was killed by her live-in partner Sheikh Shamma (22) in the Ambedkar Konaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, reported India Today. She was living with Sheikh for the past 6 months after she separated from her spouse. The incident took place in Siddhartha Nagar, B Savaram village of Rajolu mandal on 16th July. Shamma reportedly accused Pushpa of having affairs with other men. He forced her to engage in prostitution and frequently instigated fights with her when intoxicated. As per police, Shamma was addicted to ganja. On the fateful night, he against pressuri ...Read More >
Mumbai: Man held at airport with marijuana worth Rs 14.73 cr concealed in 'diplomatic' cargo Mumbai Customs arrested a traveller from Bangkok at the international airport for smuggling 15 kg of hydroponic weed worth Rs 14.73 crore. The drugs were hidden in a bag marked as a "Diplomatic Pouch" of the MEA, complete with fake seals and documents. A case has been filed under the NDPS Act. Mumbai Customs has arrested a traveller at the international airport here for allegedly trying to smuggle 15 kg of hydroponic weed with an estimated value of Rs 14.73 crore, officials said. The contraband was ...Read More >
Mumbai, Feb 24 (PTI) The Customs Department seized hydroponic weed of more than Rs 23 crore from three passengers who arrived at the Mumbai airport from Bangkok, officials said on Tuesday. Acting on spot checks and Advance Passenger Information System profiling, the customs officials booked three cases. A total of 23.593 kilograms of hydroponic weed, valued at approximately Rs 23.593 crore in the illicit market, was recovered from three passengers. They were arrested under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, they said. In another case, the department reg ...Read More >
SHILLONG, July 5: Dawn on the forested ridges of South West Khasi Hills can echo with a very different thunder from rifle fire: the low, urgent rumble of a matriarch leading her herd across the Indo-Bangladesh frontier. In these same shadows, Border Security Force (BSF) sentries often train their binoculars on infiltrators or smugglers, yet it is the sudden appearance of tusked silhouettes that now tests nerves and split-second judgment. Recognising the thin line between security duty and survival on a living corridor, the Meghalaya Forest department spent July 3 coaching the 193rd BSF Battal ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) The central drugs laboratories have found 55 samples manufactured by various firms in June to be "not of standard quality", health ministry officials said on Friday. Further, state drugs testing laboratories have identified 130 drugs samples as 'not of standard quality', they said. Also Read | Chhattisgarh: 6 Bodies of Naxals Recovered in Ongoing Encounter With Security Forces in Narayanpur. According to routine regulatory surveillance activity, the list of 'not of standard quality' and spurious drugs are being displayed on the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisa ...Read More >
VMPL New Delhi [India], August 14: Ellenox, India's largest venture studio, is accelerating its global push in enterprise AI development. In the past year, the company has grown its headcount by 50% over the last year, bringing in senior AI talent from Amazon and Google to power its next phase of expansion. Already delivering AI transformation for Fortune 50 leaders in fintech, cloud computing, consumer social, and sports-tech, Ellenox has built systems that replace costly call centers with natural-voice AI agents and deployed end-to-end social media pipelines capable of scaling global brand ...Read More >
Surat (Gujarat) [India], August 21: KP Group, a leading name in India's renewable energy sector, is stepping up its expansion with a clear goal of reaching 10 GW capacity by 2030. With projects already underway in Gujarat, the Group is working on projects in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, supported by a strong order book and government partnerships. KP Group has signed memoranda of understanding with Gujarat, Odisha, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for over 2.6 GW of renewable projects, while exploring new opportunities in other states. The Group has already e ...Read More >
A Bollywood supporting actor was apprehended at Chennai Airport with 3.5kg of cocaine, valued at Rs 35 crore, in a joint operation by Customs and DRI. The actor, arriving from Singapore, claimed he received the drugs in Cambodia. This incident is part of recent significant cocaine seizures, raising concerns about organised crime in the entertainment industry. In a major drug bust, a Bollywood supporting actor was apprehended at Chennai Airport with 3.5kg of cocaine, estimated to be worth around ...Read More >
Mumbai, March 31: What began as a peaceful holiday in Thailand quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal for a couple after they discovered a venomous cobra inside their hotel room in Krabi. The shocking incident, which occurred in the early hours around 5 am, has now gone viral and raised serious concerns about safety in nature-adjacent accommodations. The incident came to light after a Facebook user, Kannuttakorn Uttaranakron, shared the chilling experience online. According to the post, the nightmare began when the guest's partner suddenly woke up in panic, screaming about a snake in the roo ...Read More >
Kolkata, India: India is considering releasing snakes and crocodiles along its frontier with Bangladesh, the Border Security Force said Wednesday, as New Delhi seeks to stave off unauthorised crossings. Senior Border Security Force officer Manoj Barnwal told AFP that "the use of reptiles" was discussed in a February meeting with the Home Ministry. "We have been asked to explore the feasibility of deploying reptiles such as snakes or crocodiles in vulnerable riverine gaps," said Barnwal, deputy inspector general of the paramilitary force based in Kolkata, near the border with Bangladesh. "Th ...Read More >