Kolkata: In a dramatic wildlife trafficking bust at Kolkata's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, authorities on Thursday apprehended a woman arriving from Bangkok with three rare exotic animals hidden in her possession.

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs department, with assistance from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), seized two common spotted cuscus—a tree-dwelling marsupial native to New Guinea—and one silver leafed monkey, also known as the silvery lutung, a vulnerable primate species found in parts of Southeast Asia.

The accused, a 36-year-old woman who claimed to be a model by profession, was intercepted soon after landing on an IndiGo flight from Bangkok. Authorities are currently verifying her statements.

“These animals are not only exotic, but protected under international law. The silver leafed monkey is listed under Appendix II of CITES, making their trade strictly regulated,” an official involved in the operation said, requesting anonymity.

The common spotted cuscus, resembling a small kangaroo with its pouch and the size of a domestic cat, is a nocturnal herbivore. Its smuggling raises serious biosecurity concerns, officials said.

The animals have been taken into custody and are under veterinary care, as investigators delve deeper into what could be part of a larger wildlife trafficking racket.