Suvarnabhumi Airport uncovers shocking wild animal smuggling operation
In an episode that shook Suvarnabhumi International Airport on March 5, a remarkable seizure of 87 wild animals was carried out. The operation was a joint effort by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Customs Office, and other pertinent authorities.
This intervention unfolded when airport security personnel caught sight of these creatures, secreted away within eight pieces of luggage belonging to six Indian tourists en route to Mumbai, India.
Upon closer inspection, the security personnel discovered a veritable menagerie of animals, all of which are protected species. These included cotton-top tamarins, a variety of reptiles, macaws, lizards, and even red pandas. Not only were these animals transported without necessary permission but they were also cruelly packed into the tourists’ luggage.
The airport authorities promptly impounded these luggage items, turning over the confiscated wildlife to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. This department is equipped to provide the necessary care and rehabilitation to these animals, following the laws and regulations in place for such situations, reported The Pattaya News.
After the seizure, all six tourists, whose identities have not been disclosed to the media, were taken into custody. They are currently facing legal proceedings for several offences, including the export of protected wildlife, control of wildlife, and possession of wildlife carcasses without permission. Additionally, they are being charged with related legal violations.
In related news, officers from Suvarnabhumi Animal Quarantine at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok arrested a Taiwanese man for animal smuggling on December 5 last year.
Suvarnabhumi Animal Quarantine chief Phakkapong Phathong said officers received a report of a suspicious Taiwanese man at 9.05am that day. Officers suspected that the 22 year old Taiwanese man was concealing live animals in his clothing when he passed through an X-ray machine at an international departure checkpoint.
