Mumbai, India: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) of Mumbai zonal unit seized a stock of 28 lakh peacock tail feathers at Nhava Sheva Port on Wednesday, which were allegedly being smuggled to China via export cargo as mis-declared coir doormats. The export of peacock tail feathers is prohibited as per Schedule 2 of the Export Policy of ITC (HS), 2018 notified by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade read with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The DRI questioned the exporter of the export cargo under its scanner and arrested him after he allegedly admitted to his involvement in the illicit export, and he was remanded to judicial custody by a city court. The DRI is probing the smuggling bid’s suspected link with international wildlife trafficking networks and also ascertaining the purpose for which the peacock tail feathers were being smuggled to China, agency sources said.

A detailed examination of the export cargo had allegedly revealed, apart from the peacock tail feathers, 16,000 peacock feather stems, all of which were seized under provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. “The anti-smuggling operation is part of our mandate and the resolve to take exemplary actions against the syndicates involved in such nefarious activities, to protect the environment and wildlife,” a DRI source said.

Last December, the DRI had in a separate case intercepted an international wildlife smuggling syndicate, apprehending an operative attempting to smuggle 11 foreign-origin snakes, including ball pythons and corn snakes. The accused, arriving from Bangkok, had allegedly concealed the 9 pythons and 2 corn snakes inside packets intended for cakes and biscuits within his check-in luggage. According to DRI sources, the import of the snakes violated the country’s import policies and the provisions of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

Last July, the DRI also seized 306 live exotic animals, including tortoises and turtles, after foiling the alleged bid to smuggle them via air into India from Thailand by a suspected international wildlife trafficking racket.

Source:(Hindustan Times)