India, Thailand coordinate to crack down on live animal trafficking
CBI hosts India-Thailand meet on live animal trafficking, highlighting air and land routes and organised crime links.
A two-day coordination meeting between Indian and Thai authorities on trafficking in live animals began in New Delhi on Wednesday. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is co-hosting the event with the Interpol Environmental Security Sub-Directorate (ENS).
Officials will discuss emerging trends in the smuggling of exotic animals and birds, which is increasingly driven by the pet trade in Asia. The CBI noted that traffickers primarily use air routes from Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia to South Asian countries, including India, with Singapore serving as a common transit hub. A land route through Myanmar from Thailand is also frequently used.
The meeting aims to deepen cooperation on identifying smuggling routes, concealment techniques, and criminal networks involved in the trade. Inaugurating the session, CBI Special Director Manoj Sashidhar stressed that live animal trafficking is not just a wildlife protection issue but a transnational crime involving organised networks and sophisticated methods that span multiple jurisdictions.