Bengaluru airport bust: Rare red-shanked monkey smuggled from Bangkok, one held

Bengaluru (The Uttam Hindu): A shocking case of wildlife smuggling has come to light at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport. An air passenger arriving from Bangkok has been arrested for smuggling two endangered species of 'Red-shanked' monkeys. The Customs Department officials, showing promptness, recovered and confiscated these mute animals from the passenger. Confirming this action on the social media platform 'X', Bengaluru Customs Department said that the accused had cleverly hidden these rare monkeys inside his bag, but his secret was revealed during the security check and he was caught on the spot.

Giving details of the case, officials said the monkeys recovered belonged to the "red-shanked" species, found primarily in the forests of Southeast Asia. Their upper legs are red, giving them this distinctive name. Since this is an endangered species, their conservation is crucial, and their trade is illegal. According to officials, the arrest was made on December 10th, although the identity of the arrested individual has not yet been released to avoid jeopardizing the investigation. A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections and further legal action is underway.