Indian officials have caught a passenger with a month-old leopard cub in his luggage.
The man flew into Chennai from Bangkok on a Thai Airways flight on Saturday morning (local time).
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Rajan Chaudhary, Chennai Airport's commissioner of customs, says officials became suspicious after hearing noises coming from his bag.
"On Saturday morning, AIU officers noticed that a male passenger was moving in a suspicious manner in the arrival area," he says.
"After he collected his check in luggage, he was walking in a rather hurried manner. A faint sound was coming from his checked-in luggage."
The man was detained for questioning, and his baggage was opened for further examination.
"On examination of his stroller bag, a pink plastic basket was found in which a small animal resembling a leopard cub was found," Mr Chaudhary said in a statement.
"The animal was in a state of shock, and was making trill sounds and appeared to be weak."
A video by the airport authorities shows officials giving the cub milk from a baby's bottle. Officials confirmed that it was a female cub weighing just over 1kg.
Authorities are now investigating if the man is part of an international smuggling ring.
Newshub.
