A horned pit viper, Egyptian tortoises, green tree frogs and other reptiles were seized at Chennai airport on Monday and one person was detained.
The viper is an African venomous snake and no anti-venom is available in India as yet, according to a press release.
Mohammad Abdul Majeed, a 22-year-old student from Chennai, had returned from Bangkok. Based on intelligence, the officials were screening passengers and suspected him of carrying banned substances.
When his bag was checked, officials found nine plastic containers, chocolates, gift items and clothing. When they opened the containers, they found a horned pit viper, two rhinoceros iguana (a threatened species of lizard), three rock iguana (also a lizard), 22 Egyptian tortoises, four blue-tongued skinks and three green tree frogs.
On questioning, he revealed that he had to hand over the bag to someone waiting for him outside the airport; while officials waited along with him, no one turned up.
Experts from Arignar Anna Zoological Park inspected the animals and decided to send them back to Bangkok. Investigations are on.
