Nepal, June 2 -- A passenger smuggling dozens of venomous vipers was stopped after flying into the financial capital Mumbai from Thailand, Indian customs officials said.

The snakes, which included 44 Indonesian pit vipers, were "concealed in checked-in baggage", Mumbai Customs said in a statement late Sunday.

"An Indian national arriving from Thailand was arrested," it added.

The passenger, details of whom were not released, also had three Spider-tailed horned vipers -- which are venomous, but usually only target small prey such as birds -- as well as five Asian leaf turtles.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Republica....