KOLKATA: Acting on a tip-off, the officers of the Jalpaiguri preventive unit of the commissioner of customs in West Bengal recovered four monkeys of foreign origin, supposed to have been transported from Assam to Siliguri on May 8 in a Siliguri-bound bus (No. AS19C-937).
The officers spotted the bus moving towards Mainaguri and intercepted it at around 3.30am on May 9.
Following a thorough search, three cages — containing four monkeys believed to be of foreign origin and assumed to have been smuggled from China or Bangkok or Australia to be sent to the Middle East countries — were found kept in the lower base dyke of the bus.
When enquired about the ownership of said animals, no one came forward to claim.
Meanwhile, the bus driver and the conductor fled away taking advantage of darkness.
Since the bus was full of passengers, considering the safety and security of the passengers, the Jalpaiguri customs officers managed a local driver and the bus, along with the animals, were brought to Siliguri.
Thereafter, the customs officers contacted the office of the director of North Bengal Wild Park, Bengal Safari, Salugara, Siliguri.
Accordingly, the animals were taken by the customs officers to Bengal Safari to whom the animals were handed over.
Before handing over, the said animals were seized under Section 110 of Customs Act, 1962 valued at Rs 1,10,00,000 (approx valuation ascertained by forest officials) for illegal import of wildlife into India in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 read with Section 111 of the Customs Act, 1962.
Further investigation is in progress.
