Shocking Bust: 87 Endangered Animals Discovered in Luggage at Bangkok Airport

The Scoop

In a startling incident, Thai authorities reportedly uncovered a massive wildlife smuggling operation at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Five men and one woman were reportedly arrested for attempting to transport 87 protected animals hidden in their luggage.

The Shocking Discovery

According to news reports customs officials at Bangkok Airport noticed irregularities during the X-ray screening of the suspects’ checked luggage.

Upon further inspection, they discovered a shocking haul of 87 live animals, including a red panda, 29 lizards, 21 snakes, 15 birds, 7 monitor lizards, 4 iguanas, 2 red-eyed squirrels, a pair of cotton-top tamarins, 2 bats, a rat, a fishing cat, a Sulawesi bear cuscus, and several frogs.

The Suspects and Their Motives

The six suspects, five men and one woman, were reportedly attempting to transport the animals to Mumbai.

The animals were protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), making their smuggling a serious offense.