Chennai: In a shocking incident, officials of the Air Customs intelligence unit seized a leopard cub from a passenger, who arrived from Thailand capital Bangkok at the Anna International airport here on Saturday.
Airport sources said the passenger, Muhaideen of Chennai, has smuggled the cub into the city in a basket.
The officials on examining the basket, surprisingly saw a leopard cub in it and seized it.
The passenger was later arrested and was being interrogated as to how to got the cub in his possession.
However, it is said Muhaideen had all the clearances while leaving the Bangkok airport and from Thai Airlines by which he travelled.
While he was checking out, officials saw he had a receipt for ‘one small live animal’. When they checked the ‘animal’, it turned out to be a leopard cub kept in a basket.
Sources said the animal did not have clearance from the Health and Customs departments to ensure it was free of any contagious diseases.
The airport officials informed the wildlife authorities who confirmed it was a leopard cub. It would now be rehabilitated in the Vandalur zoo.