Customs dept seize 466 live corals from Dubai passengers at Pune airport - Hindustan Times
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Customs dept seize 466 live corals from Dubai passengers at Pune airport

Apr 09, 2022 07:42 PM IST

PUNE The Customs officers of the Pune International Airport intercepted two passengers on April 5 who arrived from Dubai and recovered live corals from their bags

PUNE The Customs officers of the Pune International Airport intercepted two passengers on April 5 who arrived from Dubai and recovered live corals from their bags.

The Customs officers of the Pune International Airport intercepted two passengers on April 5 who arrived from Dubai and recovered live corals from their bags. (REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE)
The Customs officers of the Pune International Airport intercepted two passengers on April 5 who arrived from Dubai and recovered live corals from their bags. (REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE)

According to officials, the passengers were attempting to pass through the Green Channel. On thorough search of their bags, 466 specimens of live corals (Order- Scleractinia with various Subfamilies) covered under Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix II of CITES were recovered. The passengers admitted that these were procured for commercial purposes.

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The specimens were seized and have been kept under rehabilitation at the Taraporevala Aquarium, Mumbai.

Further investigation is in progress, customs officials said.

IRS Dhananjay Kadam, custom officer at Pune’s Lohegaon international airport said, “Corals cannot survive in normal water, it needs saline water and they need condition like natural habitat to survive. Two persons who came from Dubai had brought the corals in bag. At least 100 coarls were in glass jar while 366 where in a plastic bag.The corals were supposed to be kept it in an aquarium and later on the passengers wanted to use it for commercial business.”

It was the first such case at Pune airport, said officials

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