Chennai: Two rare Saharan foxes were seized by the custom officials from a passenger during a check under suspicion at Chennai Airport. A man was carrying the foxes in a big plastic basket from a Thai Airlines flight from Bangkok, said a custom official. As there were no mandatory approvals, the foxes were deported to Thailand.
During investigation, the passenger said, "The foxes are considered to be very lucky and the foxes cost lakhs but I bought these two foxes from the desert area at very reasonable rates."
The foxes are also known as fennec foxes, inhabitants of the peninsular regions of the North African continent and the Western Sahara desert. A custom official said that animals brought from foreign countries should have a medical certificate confirming that they are free of pathogens and the animals can only be brought with the permission of Animal Husbandry Department of India and Zoology International but the passenger did not have any such documents.
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The custom department informed the central Forest Crime Branch police in Chennai's Besant Nagar and the custom authorities have asked the passenger to pay the cost of sending the foxes back to Thailand. The foxes were deported from Chennai to Thailand on Wednesday night.
