India, March 29 -- Customs officials at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar on Saturday seized a variety of exotic species, including Californian king snakes, monitor lizards, chameleons and tortoises from a man who was on his way to Chennai from Hong Kong.

Assistant Commissioner of Customs Ranjit Kumar Mohanty said a man named Shankar Murugan from Chennai landed at the airport with a luggage that looked suspicious. The animals were allegedly being smuggled from Bangkok to Chennai via Bhubaneswar.

The reptiles seized from the passenger included 9 Californian king snakes, 10 chameleons, 12 River Fly tortoises and 3 monitor lizards. Following the seizure, officials from the Odisha Forest Department were immediately called to...