In a major operation by Raigad police and the forest department, a criminal syndicate involved in the theft and illegal trafficking of exotic birds has been busted. The breakthrough comes after a July incident, where 12 exotic birds were stolen from a rescue facility in Karjat, Maharashtra, which were then sold in Chennai to a breeder.
The operation was exposed and broken up by the Raigad police and forest department in collaboration with NGOs dedicated to wildlife conservation.
As per the reports, the stolen birds included a blue-and-gold macaw, a scarlet macaw, a Moluccan cockatoo, and nine African grey parrots. All the exotic birds that have been seized by the forest department and the Raigad police are prized very heavily in the illegal pet trade market.
Earlier in August, the Mumbai Customs officers at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMI), under Mumbai Customs Zone-III, successfully detected and stopped three major smuggling attempts, involving narcotic substances and live exotic wildlife, within the span of three days, officials said on Tuesday.
While the alert officials kept a watch on suspicious passengers, on August 11, 2025, acting on specific intelligence, Mumbai Customs officers intercepted a passenger from Bangkok and made a shocking discovery – a large number of exotic live animals hidden in a dark grey trolley bag.
Seized wildlife included meerkats (3), common blue-tongued skinks (1), four-eyed turtles (1), red and green iguanas (2), various types of tarantulas (including pinktoe, Brachypelma, and Antilles pinktoe), Ceram mangrove monitor lizards (3), etc.
While responding to the illegal trade of animals and birds, the officials said, “The passenger was arrested under the Customs Act, 1962, in connection with the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.”
In another incident earlier last month, the forest department in Panvel also arrested two people involved in wildlife trafficking and rescued 42 Munia birds. The seized species included Red Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, and Tricoloured Munia. All munias are protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. However, they remain in high demand as pets, fuelling illegal trade.
The seized species included Red Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, and Tricoloured Munia. However, as informed by the officials, all Munias which were confiscated are protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Considering that they are rare and can be exotic pets for enthusiasts, restricting their smuggling has been a major point of concern for the authorities.
