CHENNAI: Customs officials in Chennai seized 49 exotic animals, some of them highly venomous like king cobra and other rare species, that were smuggled from Malaysia and Thailand in separate cases. A passenger was arrested, while the one involved in the other case is on the run.

When they were monitoring the passengers who arrived from Kuala Lumpur, the Customs officials intercepted a man from Chennai, aged around 30 years, who had visited the Malaysian capital on a tourist visa.

When they examined his luggage, officials were shocked to find 34 live exotic animals concealed inside suitcases and bags. These included several highly venomous snakes such as king cobras, along with other rare species, including California king snakes, red snakes, Indonesian blue-tongue reptiles, marsh snakes, and water monitor lizards.

The animals were seized, and the passenger was arrested for attempting to smuggle prohibited wildlife into the country.

In a separate incident around midnight on Thursday, the officials found an unclaimed suitcase on the conveyor belt earmarked for the luggage of the passengers coming from Thailand on a Thai Airways flight.

Upon inspection, they discovered 15 more exotic animals, including rare monkeys, an Indian palm squirrel, and venomous spiders. Investigations revealed that the smuggler had abandoned the suitcase at the airport and fled the spot fearing strict Customs inspection.

The Customs officials have registered a case and are analysing CCTV footage to trace the absconding suspect.

Following the seizure, all 49 animals were returned to their countries of origin, Malaysia and Thailand, on flights operated by AirAsia and Thai Airways.