A traveler was apprehended upon arrival in India with two endangered primates concealed in his luggage. Customs officials at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport discovered two silvery gibbons inside a basket in the passenger’s bag on October 30. Video footage from the airport depicts officials holding one of the animals, estimated to be two and four months old.
Tragically, one of the gibbons had already passed away. An Indian customs official disclosed, “During the inspection, we located two gibbons, one about two months old and the other approximately four months old, hidden inside a basket within a trolley bag.”
These rare primates, native to Indonesian forests, are classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Initial investigations by Indian authorities indicate that the traveler, identified as a foreign national, had journeyed from Malaysia to Thailand before flying to India.
Authorities suspect that a member of an international smuggling ring handed the bag with the gibbons to the passenger in Thailand, instructing him to deliver it upon arrival in India. The syndicate is believed to have orchestrated the passenger’s travel arrangements and logistics.
Efforts are underway to identify other individuals involved in the smuggling scheme. According to the IUCN, recent research suggests a “high likelihood” that the silvery gibbon, scientifically known as Hylobates moloch, could face extinction within a century.
Chester Zoo reports that these apes typically stay with their families for eight years and have a lifespan of about 35 years, which can extend to 50 years with human care.
In a separate incident back in 2022, customs officials in Munich, Germany, were shocked to discover two whole roasted antelopes in a passenger’s baggage. The woman, a Ghanaian national, claimed she needed them as a “snack” for her journey. The animals were found crushed to fit in the bag, with one antelope’s leg twisted and its head pulled back. Despite the passenger’s explanation that antelopes are a delicacy in her country, the customs officers were obliged to confiscate and destroy the antelopes due to animal health regulations. Thomas Meister, a spokesperson for Customs Headquarters in Munich, described the seizure as “extraordinary.”