A traveler was apprehended upon arrival in India with two endangered primates concealed in his luggage. Customs officials at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport made the startling discovery of two silvery gibbons hidden in a basket inside the passenger’s bag on October 30. Video footage from the airport captures officials handling one of the animals, believed to be around two to four months old.

Tragically, one of the gibbons had already perished. An Indian customs official disclosed, “During the inspection, we found two gibbons—one approximately two months old and the other around four months old—secreted within a basket inside a trolley bag.”

These rare primates, native to Indonesian forests, are classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Initial investigations by Indian authorities indicate that the traveler, described as a foreign national, had journeyed from Malaysia to Thailand before flying to India.

Authorities suspect that a member of an international smuggling network handed the bag containing the gibbons to the passenger in Thailand, instructing him to deliver it upon reaching India. The syndicate is believed to have orchestrated the passenger’s travel itinerary and logistics.

Efforts are underway to identify other individuals involved in the smuggling operation. Recent studies endorsed by the IUCN suggest a significant risk of the silvery gibbon, scientifically known as Hylobates moloch, facing extinction within a century.

According to Chester Zoo, these apes typically remain with their family for eight years and have a lifespan of around 35 years, extending up to 50 years under human care.

In a previous incident in 2022, customs officials in Munich, Germany, were shocked to discover two whole roasted antelopes in a passenger’s baggage. The traveler, a woman from Ghana, explained that she considered antelopes a delicacy in her country and had packed them as a snack for her journey. However, due to animal health regulations, the antelopes were confiscated for immediate destruction. A spokesperson from Customs Headquarters in Munich, Thomas Meister, described the seizure as extraordinary.