Athirapally, June 25 (ANI): Authorities in Kerala arrested two Japan nationals, accused of smuggling live and exotic reptiles and insects.
Forest officials said Suita Shibasaki and Murai Yojka were arrested when they were trying to board a flight to Japan from Cochin International airport. The duo has been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act and Biodiversity Act.
Airport authorities sounded an alert after reptiles and snakes along with scissors and suspicious objects were recovered from their bags during scanning. Forest range officer and investigating officer in the case, Norbert Delep, said the duo initially claimed that they were researchers in wildlife and were not aware of the country’s laws.
The two men visited the forest range of Athirapally in Kerala and caught small snakes, scorpions, turtles, chameleon, spiders, beetles and centipedes.
Forest officials made them release the insects and reptiles in the Kerala forest.
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