On December 4, 2025, Customs officials at Kochi International Airport stopped an attempt to smuggle 11 endangered birds into India. The birds were found in the baggage of a family from Malappuram — a husband, wife, and their seven-year-old son — who had arrived from Thailand early in the morning. The Customs Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) acted on suspicion and recovered the live birds. These birds are listed under Appendix I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The family told officials they purchased the birds as pets and did not know about import rules. A detailed probe is ongoing to see if the family is connected to illegal exotic species trade. Meanwhile, the seized birds will be sent back to Thailand. The passengers were handed over to forest officials for further investigation and action, Customs said.