A man attempting to board a Dubai-bound flight from New Delhi’s international airport was detained after being discovered with a live monkey stuffed in his underwear, it was reported.

According to the Press Trust of India, the man and two fellow travellers were arrested on Sunday after flying from Bangkok to the Indian capital, where they were due to catch a connecting Jet Airways flight to Dubai.

The 17cm loris, a species of monkey found in some parts of the Subcontinent and South-East Asia, was reportedly found “in one of the passengers’ underwear during the security check”, PTI said. BBC News later reported that all three travellers were Emirati nationals.

Another monkey was discovered in a trash can at the airport, apparently after being discarded as the men were unable to carry it.

All three passengers were reportedly handed over to India’s Wildlife and Customs Department, before being passed on to customs police, who arrested them.

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