Directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) carried out multiple raids in Mumbai on Saturday, seizing hundreds of caged exotic birds being illegally traded and smuggled. Wildlife crime control bureau along with the state forest officials assisted the DRI in these raids. "Several exotic bird species like sulphur-crested cockatoos, African and Burmese parrots, Galah cockatoos, love birds among others were seized by the raiding teams at Crawford Market in south Mumbai, Kurla, Govandi and Santacruz. This is one of the big seizures dealing with illegal trading of caged birds," informed an official who was part of the raids.

From Crawford Market alone, exotic bird species in 21cages were seized. Sources said that similar raids were held in other parts of the state, leading to several arrests as well by the DRI. According to the Times of India, there was also a flamingo among the birds seized from one of the raids in suburban Mumbai, indicating that the traders could also have poached the wetland birds currently seen in large numbers along different coasts in and around Mumbai.