Six exotic lizards seized at Vizag airport

Visakhapatnam : Concealed neatly in cake packets, the officials from Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) found six live Eastern Blue Tongue Lizards, exotic species, from two different baggages belonging to two passengers.

The lizards landed in Visakhapatnam flying all the way from Thailand along with their smugglers, and the DRI officials intercepted the two passengers and seized the lizards at the Visakhapatnam Airport.

Based on specific intelligence information, the DRI officials examined the baggage on November 24 (Sunday) and found the exotic animals staring back at them.

Scientifically known as TiliquaScincoides, the blue-tongued skink or lizards are Australian native species.

At the airport, a snake catcher Rokkam Kiran Kumar was asked to handle the lizards which were later repatriated to Thailand following certification by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB).

The smugglers were detained under the Customs Act and Wildlife Protection Act and were taken into custody and investigation is in progress.