Leopard cub discovered inside passenger’s luggage at airport

The tiny cub was discovered on Saturday
AFP/Getty Images
Sophie Williams2 February 2019

A leopard cub has been found inside a passenger’s luggage at an airport in India.

Customs officers at Chennai airport made the discovery on Saturday morning after choosing the man, who had arrived from Thailand, for random screening.

According to the Times of India, officers found muffled cries coming from the man’s checked in baggage.

The leopard cub was discovered inside a plastic basket and was said to be in a state of shock.

It was making "trill sounds and appeared to be weak," airport officials said.

The cub, weighing just over one kilogram (2.4 pounds), was found in a plastic basket hidden inside a bag
AFP/Getty Images

Video footage posted online shows the small cub looking confused and wandering across a blanket.

Officials confirmed that it was a female leopard cub weighing just over 1kg.

It has been handed over to the forest department and action will be taken against the man under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

Authorities are investigating whether the man is part of an international smuggling ring, AFP reported.

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