Police from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division (NED) raided a house in Bangkok on 21 February and discovered more than 100 protected wild animals. Officers seized 19 Indian star tortoises after the homeowner admitted failing to declare their possession as required by law. The animals have been sent for DNA testing as part of an investigation into a transnational wildlife trafficking network.
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The operation was ordered by Pol Maj Gen Anek Taosuphap, commander of the NED, who instructed Pol Col Permwut Pratumrat, superintendent of Division 1, and Pol Lt Col Pradit Prompan to execute a Criminal Court of Thon Buri search warrant. The property searched was located in Soi Pracha Uthit 89, Thung Khru subdistrict, Thung Khru district, Bangkok. The raid followed an expanded investigation into the arrest of four Taiwanese nationals previously detained for alleged involvement in cross-border wildlife trafficking.
Investigators had gathered information indicating that the house was being used to house and breed protected wildlife without permission. During the search, officers identified the homeowner, referred to only as Mr A and found six species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II. These included 19 African spurred tortoises (Centrochelys sulcata), 44 leopard tortoises (Stigmochelys pardalis), 12 green iguanas (Iguana iguana), eight black spiny-tailed iguanas (Ctenosaura similis) and six ball pythons (Python regius).
Although CITES Appendix II species require trade controls, possession does not require notification but remains regulated under Thai law. Officers also discovered 19 Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans), a CITES Appendix I species that must be declared under the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act. Violations carry penalties of up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both.
When asked to produce documentation declaring possession, Mr A admitted he had not registered the Indian star tortoises. Authorities seized all 19 tortoises and submitted them for genetic testing at the Wildlife Forensic Science Centre under the Wildlife Conservation Office of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. The tests aim to confirm their origin and determine links to the wider transnational trafficking network.
Thaitabloid reported thatMr A told investigators that the animals did not belong to him but to his stepchild, who had left them at the property. Officers are continuing to gather evidence to pursue legal action against those involved and to expand the investigation into the network behind the operation.
Pictures courtesy of Thaitabloid
Key Takeaways
• Police seized more than 100 protected animals during a 21 February raid in Bangkok.
• Nineteen Indian star tortoises were confiscated for failing to meet declaration requirements.
• DNA testing is under way to establish links to a transnational wildlife trafficking network.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now Thaitabloid 23 Feb 2026