Customs to deploy dogs to check wildlife smuggling at IGIA

Customs authorities will deploy dogs to check wildlife trafficking at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here.
"In-principle approval has been received for deployment of dogs at the airport," Anees Cherkunnath, Deputy Commissioner of Customs at the IGIA, said today.
He said initially less number of dogs will be deployed and their number would be gradually increased as per the need.
The international trade in wildlife is a big business and a part of organised crime, estimated to be worth billions annually and is said to involve more than 350 million plant and animal specimens every year.
The IGI airport is one of the biggest airports in the country and vulnerable to trafficking of wildlife contraband, the official said.

The customs department has seized red sanders and corals among other banned wildlife items recently at the airport.

Issues related to wildlife trafficking were also discussed during a training programme organised at the airport.
A session of the programme on 'prevention of wildlife trafficking' was inaugurated by Amandeep Singh, Additional Commissioner of Customs at the IGIA.
Officers from Bureau of Immigration, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and GMR airport security apart from officers of customs participated in the programme.
Speakers, including R S Sharath, Inspector, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau highlighted various matters related to wildlife trafficking, general trends, detection of wildlife contrabands and preventive steps to curtail wildlife trafficking at the airport.

Manish Kumar, Commissioner (customs) emphasised on inter- agency cooperation to fight against the menace of wildlife trafficking.