Indian man’s langur smuggling attempt busted at Suvarnabhumi
An Indian passenger was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport late on February 3 after allegedly attempting to smuggle live wildlife out of Thailand. Two endangered langurs were reportedly discovered hidden inside a suitcase bound for Mumbai.
The passenger, identified as 28 year old Karthick, was intercepted during a joint operation involving wildlife checkpoint officers, customs officials, animal quarantine staff, airport security, and environmental police.
Karthick was due to board Thai Airways flight TG351 from Bangkok to Mumbai when the arrest took place around 11.30pm near Gate D8 and inspection point BIR-EAST.
Officers conducting a routine screening found a suspicious blue rectangular suitcase checked as hold luggage. Inside, they discovered a plastic basket, sealed tightly, containing two live Indochinese silvered langurs, a protected species under Thai law.
DNP News reported that the animals had been concealed in a manner that posed a serious risk to their health. Karthick also surrendered his mobile phone to investigators as evidence.
Officers immediately seized the suitcase and detained Karthick at the airport. He now faces multiple charges under the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act (2019), the Customs Act (2017), and the Animal Epidemics Act (2015). He was later handed over to the police at Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station for prosecution.
The two langurs have since been transferred to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation for care and species verification as part of the case file.
The Indochinese grey langur, native to Thailand and neighbouring countries, is classified as a near-threatened species. Known for its silvery-grey coat and distinctive dark face, the langur typically lives in treetop groups of 10 to 40 individuals and feeds on leaves, plant shoots, and insects.
According to Khao Kheow Open Zoo, these monkeys are diurnal and highly social, though older males often live alone. The species plays an important ecological role in forest ecosystems and is protected under Thai conservation law.
Similarly, just a day earlier, a Thai man was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport after arriving from Manila, when customs and wildlife officials discovered a live Bengal monitor lizard and an opossum hidden inside his suitcase.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
