Airport Discovers Leopard Cub in Traveler's Suitcase
Airlines & Airports Alex Temblador February 02, 2019

Airport officials at Chennai airport became suspicious of a passenger when they heard noises coming from his bag. They searched through his luggage and discovered a baby leopard.
The one-month-old cub was found in a plastic grocery basket in a suitcase of a man who had traveled from Bangkok, Thailand, and had just arrived in India. He was detained after customs officials discovered the cub.
"A 45-year-old Chennai-based man Kaja Moideen who works in Kuala Lumpur has been arrested and [an] investigation is on," Customs Commissioner Rajan Chaudhary told NDTV.
Apparently, Moideen was “evasive in his replies” when questioned by customs officers. Authorities are investigating whether he is a member of an international smuggling ring.
"He says he was supposed to handover it to someone at the Chennai airport. We made him wait, but no one came," a said a senior officer.
As for the baby leopard, it was exhausted after its traumatic journey.
"The animal was in a state of shock and was making trill sounds, and appeared to be weak," airport officials said.
Video footage was shared on Twitter showing officials trying to bottle-feed the squirming leopard cub milk.
WATCH| Officials at @aaichnairport feeding the one month old leopard cub that was smuggled from Thailand to #Chennai. The cub will be rehabilitated at Aringar Anna Zoo.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) February 2, 2019
Read here: https://t.co/vksidnuevE pic.twitter.com/evbv7TRRXx
The baby leopard was assessed by veterinarians and was taken to the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Chennai, where it will be cared for according to India’s NDTV.
A leopard cub is not the craziest animal to be smuggled through an airport. India airport officials discovered a venomous snake in a man's pants in November, while Canadian officials bagged a man for smuggling 5,000 leeches through Toronto International Airport.
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