Indian authorities said they arrested a Canadian man at Delhi airport for carrying a crocodile skull in his luggage.
The 32-year-old was at the airport on Monday to catch his flight to Canada when he was first stopped during security screening.
“Upon examination, a skull with sharp teeth, resembling the jaw of a small crocodile, weighing approximately 777 grams (1.71 pounds), was discovered wrapped in a cream-coloured cloth,” Delhi Customs said in a statement on Thursday.
They added that the man was arrested and the skull was handed over to the Forest and Wildlife Department.
Officials said possession of the crocodile skull violated the Indian Wildlife Protection Act and Customs Act.
Analysis of the skull by the Forest and Wildlife Department found that it belonged to a species protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act.
They said: “The texture, pattern of teeth, well-developed bony palate and nostrils confirmed that the piece was the skull of a small crocodile.”
A forest official said Times of India newspaper The man allegedly bought the skull from Thailand.
“The man did not have the mandatory permission required to carry wildlife items,” forest officer Rajesh Tandon said.
Man too He told officers he did not catch or kill the alligatoraccording to the Hindustan Times newspaper.
More tests are being done to determine the exact subspecies of the animal.
Meanwhile, Delhi Customs says a case has been registered against the man and an investigation is underway.
Last year, a 32-year-old Canadian woman was stopped at Delhi airport after the horns of an unknown animal were found in her luggage. The woman told officials that she picked them up during a trip in the northern Ladakh region and decided to bring them back as a souvenir.
