19 exotic birds seized by DRI from Pune

NP NEWS NETWORK

Pune

DRI has been working on combating wild life smuggling apart from combating various other types of Cross Border Crime. Towards this objective, intelligence developed by it indicated that exotic birds and animals of foreign origin are being smuggled into India. On the basis of specific information the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Pune Regional Unit (PRU) with assistance of officers of Pune Customs Commissionerate on 08.10.2018 recovered illegally imported foreign exotic birds from the premises of Mr Dominic Sequira resident of Vadgaon Sheri, Pune.

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On inspection, the foreign Exotic birds seemed to be identified as:

15 birds of species Agapornis common name Love birds of African origin

1 bird of species Sun parakeet also known as sunconure of South American

origin

2 Great Billed parrot of Phillipines origin

1 White Cockatoo of Indonesian origin

All the seized animals and birds have been handed over to Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, Katraj, Pune, authority for safe custody. Value of the above mentioned live exotic birds is very high, as these birds are sold in illegal markets having been smuggled. All these birds appear to have been illegally imported into India without declaration or through illicit routes making their import into India liable to confiscation in terms of Section 111 of the Customs Act. In addition, Sections 48 and 49 of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 prohibits trade or commerce in Wild Animals or Animal Articles or Trophies.

Further, illegal import of wild life is in violation of the Wild Life Protection Act, and automatically becomes a violation of the Customs Act by virtue of Section 111(d) of the Customs Act.

In concurrent operation by DRI, Kolkata on the same smuggling racket seizures of 35 exotic birds were made at Kolkata.

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“DRI is committed in combating Wild Life Crime including cross border crime such as trafficking in wild life art-crafts. DRI has been regularly making seizures of Wild Life articles such as Red Sanders wood, a CITES listed species of timber, highly valued in the markets of China and East Asia, Star Tortoises and other species of turtles, Deer antlers, Tiger & leopard skins.

In the month of September itself DRI, Mumbai Zonal Unit has made seizure of about 8000 kgs of shark fins valued at 45 crores in International market and 523 star tortoises in Mumbai. There is an urgent need to step up the fight against wild life crime, which has environmental, social and economic impact and a concerted effort is needed by all the law enforcement agencies in combating the same. DRI welcomes information from public about any cross border crime including wild life crime”, DRI stated in press release.