Chennai:
Port Wings News Network:
Based on information Chennai Air Customs intercepted a postal parcel which arrived from Poland at Foreign Post Office on suspicion of containing some arthropod/invertebrate species. The parcel was addressed to a Arupukotai (Tamil Nadu) based person. On cut opening the parcel a thermocol box was found in which 107 small plastic vials wrapped in silver foil and cotton were found. On examination live spiders were found inside each vial.
Wild Life Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) officials & scientist of Zoological Survey of India (SRC) were called to identify the species. Based on morphological examination they suspected the spiders to be of Genus Phonopelma and Brachypelma which are CITES listed Tarantulas, native of South, Central America and Mexico. The Animal Quarantine Officials recommended to deport the parcel containing the spiders to country of origin as the said import is illegal as there was no DGFT license and health related documents of import into India.
The spiders were seized under the Customs Act 1962read with FT(D&R) Act. The parcel containing the spiders were handed over to postal authorities to deport to Poland the country of origin.
Further investigations are under progress.