Vigilance squad of the Wildlife & Parks Department Punjab foiled a bid to smuggle nine Peregrine falcons through Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore and arrested one Qatari citizen Ahmad Hussain Ali Muhammad Alsada here on Tuesday. The squad also recovered a departmental fine of Rs 1 million from the arrested persons and it is a record recovery of departmental fine in the history of department.
According to details, Deputy Director Wildlife Abdul Shakoor Manj on a tip off carried out search operation at the Lahore Airport along with his staff and Airport Security Force (ASF). At the international hold baggage search counter, the staff found nine Peregrine falcons from the bag of a Qatari citizen who was taking them without any import/export permit. The man was also not carrying any permission letter from his own country's embassy or ministry of the foreign affair.
The vigilance squad challaned him under the Wildlife Act and took falcons in its custody. Honorary Game Warden Shah Rukh Butt on an application of the department imposed a fine of Rs 1,000,000 which was recovered from the accused.