3 Thai men arrested in Ecuador with 12 rare Galápagos iguanas
Three Thai nationals were arrested at an airport in Ecuador for wildlife smuggling after 12 rare marine iguanas were discovered hidden in their luggage.
Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment and Energy said the animals were found during baggage inspections at José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil on Tuesday, May 19. Officials said specially trained K9 dogs used for wildlife smuggling detection alerted officers to the bags.
The luggage belonged to three Thai nationals who were preparing to board a flight to another country in Asia. Authorities did not disclose the intended destination.
Police reported that 12 marine iguanas were found concealed inside the bags. One of the reptiles had already died, while the remaining 11 were exhausted and injured after their legs were tightly bound during the transport.
The animals were identified as Galápagos marine iguanas, a protected species native only to the Galápagos Islands. The reptiles are the only iguana species in the world capable of diving underwater to search for food. They can remain underwater for up to an hour.
Authorities did not release the identities of the Thai suspects. Ecuadorian officials confirmed the three remain in custody pending court proceedings.
The suspects were charged with offences related to trafficking protected and endangered wildlife, which carry penalties of up to three years in prison under Ecuadorian law.
Officials are continuing investigations into the smuggling network, including how the reptiles were transported from the Galápagos Islands and how the suspects allegedly bypassed security measures before reaching the airport.
In a similar case reported in February, a Thai national was arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport after smuggling a live Bengal monitor lizard and an opossum into Thailand from Manila in the Philippines.
The animals were later transferred to the Wildlife Conservation Office for care. Authorities did not disclose whether the animals had been injured.
In the same month, an Indian national was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport after he attempted to smuggle 15 living animals out of the country, including a langur, a gibbon, and 13 turtles.
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