Ahmedabad: The crime branch on Sunday busted an alleged illegal breeding and sale racket of exotic animals and birds being run from a residential flat in Navrangpura. The raid led to the seizure of several rare and high-value species kept in cramped cages inside the house.The accused, Manikanandan K Nadar (41), allegedly converted a 10×12 room of his flat into a makeshift breeding unit over the past six to seven months. Crime branch cops said the raid was initially triggered by an input that he was supplying snake venom for rave parties. During the search, officers uncovered a large-scale breeding and sales operation involving exotic pets.Among the animals seized were a rare red-handed tamarin infant, seven Persian cats and kittens, 14 hamsters, 15 mini lop rabbits and nine Netherland dwarf rabbits.Exotic birds included six African grey parrots, five blue and gold macaws, three eclectus parrots, four sun conures, two galah cockatoos and one sulphur-crested cockatoo, apart from several lovebirds, cockatiels, budgerigars and finches. Cops said documents uploaded on the ‘PARIVESH’ portal appeared incomplete and suspicious. “Keeping such wild and exotic species in high numbers in a congested residential area without biosecurity safeguards poses serious zoonotic disease risks,” a senior crime branch officer said. The accused allegedly sold animals for Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh depending on the breed, mainly to affluent buyers with farmhouses around Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The forest department was made the complainant, and the crime branch wrote to customs to probe suspected illegal exports.Permits, Health Risks And Customs Angle A crime branch official said the accused claimed to possess a temporary permit issued by a forest department officer from Gandhinagar when he was confronted by a neighbour who objected to the presence of exotic animals in the building. However, cops said no valid permissions for commercial breeding, regular health certification, or scientific housing infrastructure were found during the raid.Under regulations governing exotic species, owners must declare possession, maintain health records and ensure compliance with biosecurity norms. “There was no evidence of regular veterinary monitoring or quarantine systems,” a senior officer said. Police are also probing the alleged links of the accused with customs officials in Chennai. Cops suspect some animals may have been exported illegally or imported without declarations. “We wrote to customs to verify the import-export trail and examine whether there was any collusion,” an official said.Police are also looking into the background of the family of the accused. Police said the business was allegedly inherited from his father. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, forest department, and the customs will conduct a detailed probe into documentation, legality of imports and potential public health hazards posed to residents.
