Canadian Man Arrested at IGI Airport for Smuggling Crocodile Skull Weighing 777 Grams

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A Canadian man was arrested at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Thursday for allegedly attempting to smuggle a crocodile skull in his bag. The arrest occurred on Monday as the passenger was preparing to board his flight to Montreal from Terminal 3. During a routine security check, customs officials discovered a skull wrapped in a cream-colored cloth. Upon examination, the skull weighing around 777 grams and resembling the jaw of a baby crocodile was found to have sharp teeth.

The Department of Forests and Wildlife under the Delhi government conducted a diagnostic test and confirmed that the item was indeed the skull of a baby crocodile, based on its texture, tooth pattern and other distinguishing features such as a well-developed bony palate and nostrils. The skull belongs to a species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (WLPA). Further scientific analysis by the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun is required to definitively identify the species.

The arrested passenger has been handed over to the authorities and the seized skull was transferred to the Department of Forests and Wildlife (West Division, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi) for additional testing. The customs department emphasized that the case highlights a serious violation of wildlife and customs laws and stressed the importance of collaboration between the customs and forest departments to prevent the smuggling of protected wildlife items.