CBI Organises India-Thailand Case Coordination Meeting on ‘Live Animal Trafficking’:

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is holding a two-day meeting with Thailand to discuss the growing problem of live animal and bird trafficking. The meeting is being held at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi from September 2 to 3, 2026, in coordination with INTERPOL’s Environmental Security Sub-Directorate (ENS).

The meeting focuses on the illegal smuggling of exotic animals and birds, particularly for the pet trade. Officials said trafficking of live exotic species between Southeast Asia and South Asia has been increasing in recent years.

According to the CBI, animals are often transported through air routes from Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia to South Asian countries, including India. Singapore is frequently used as a transit point. Another major route is the land route from Thailand through Myanmar.

During the two-day meeting, officials are discussing trafficking trends, commonly used smuggling routes and methods used by criminal groups to hide and transport live animals. They are also discussing ways to identify and target people involved in these illegal activities.

Inaugurating the meeting, CBI Special Director Manoj Sashidhar said that trafficking of live animals and birds is no longer just a wildlife protection issue. He said it has become an international criminal activity involving organised networks, advanced methods of concealment and transportation, and links across different countries.

He also stressed the need for countries to work together because wildlife trafficking cases often involve several intermediaries and international routes. The importance of issuing INTERPOL notices against fugitives involved in wildlife trafficking was also highlighted.

Officials from Thailand are attending the meeting along with representatives of India’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh, State Tiger Strike Force of Madhya Pradesh, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department of Odisha, and the CBI.

The CBI, which also functions as India’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in New Delhi for INTERPOL-related cooperation, has been actively working with other countries to tackle wildlife trafficking. Over the past two years, it has also hosted two regional investigative and analytical meetings involving several foreign countries in collaboration with INTERPOL.