Crime Sri Lankan Man Caught Smuggling Ball Pythons in Underwear at Suvarnabhumi Airport

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

In a bizarre and alarming case of wildlife trafficking, Authorities arrested a Sri Lankan national at Suvarnabhumi Airport after discovering three live ball pythons hidden inside his underwear.

 

Mr. Palaweera Bouchakiat, Director of Thailand’s Wildlife Crime Intelligence Center, confirmed that the arrest was made following intelligence received on July 1, indicating that a known wildlife trafficker, identified as Mr. Shehan (surname withheld), had arrived in Bangkok on Thai Airways flight TG308 at 00:06.

 

A background check revealed that the suspect had a history of smuggling various exotic animals, including wolves, meerkats, black cockatoos, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, iguanas, frogs, salamanders, tortoises and ball pythons. He had also previously been arrested for wildlife-related offences in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 2024.

 

Acting on this intelligence, Thailand’s Wildlife Enforcement Network (Thailand WEN), comprising multiple government agencies including the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Office of the Attorney General, the Royal Thai Police, the Customs Department, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Immigration and Airports of Thailand, coordinated the operation. International support was provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

 

On the evening of July 2 at approximately 18:00 Mr. Shehan departed his accommodation and arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport by taxi around 19:00. After checking in at the Thai Airways counter, he was approached by authorities for screening.

 

Initial scans of his large suitcase revealed no contraband. However, during a personal search, officers were stunned to find three ball pythons (Python regius), a CITES Appendix II protected species requiring import and export permits, concealed in his underwear.

 

The suspect was immediately informed that he was in violation of The Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019), Section 23, for attempting to export protected wildlife without authorisation, and also breached the Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017), Sections 242, 166 and 252, for attempting to smuggle undeclared goods out of the country.

 

Mr. Shehan was taken into custody for further investigation and to determine whether he is linked to a wider international wildlife trafficking network.

 

Officials described the arrest as a clear message to transnational smuggling syndicates: Thailand will not tolerate illegal wildlife trade and will continue to take stringent action to combat both domestic and international wildlife crime.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khoasod 2025-07-04

 

 

 

[Yagoda]

Ive always worried about what looks like a python in my pants when I go through customs, but so far so good.

[garygooner]

He was wearing a py-thong. 

Yeah, I know it's bad. 

[TofuHead]

9 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Ive always worried about what looks like a python in my pants when I go through customs, but so far so good.

Customs: It looks like a python.  Only smaller.

[factual monk]

😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

In a bizarre and alarming case of wildlife trafficking, Authorities arrested a Sri Lankan national at Suvarnabhumi Airport after discovering three live ball pythons hidden inside his underwea

He's braver than me....

[thaipo7]

1 hour ago, garygooner said:

He was wearing a py-thong. 

Yeah, I know it's bad. 

I actually laughed.

[Homburg]

Three!  Most are happy with a single One-Eyed Trouser Snake....

[Homburg]

Is this what is meant by the expression "The Full Monty"?

[corepuncher]

was it in his underwear or in something else 😁

[wavodavo]

9 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Ive always worried about what looks like a python in my pants when I go through customs, but so far so good.

When the customs officer told him to take the python out of his undies  he would have said there's go 4 in there which one do you want first ???

[ronster]

Ah the fabled trouser snake ! 😄

[bananafish]

At first, they thought he was just pleased to see them, but it turned out it was a snake in his pants. 

[falangUK]

Dude looks chilled, just look at the body language

[AustinRacing]

If he was African he may have gotten away with it. Next time if you plan to smuggle something out in your pants make it more realistic. Earthworm perhaps. 😂

[Thingamabob]

A case of testicular fortitude.

[Quentin Zen]

10 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

He had also previously been arrested for wildlife-related offences in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 2024.

would be nice if immigration could see this BEFORE he tries to steal my snakes. 

[Srikcir]

10 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

protected wildlife without authorisation

He had a lot of balls smuggling this wildlife.

Lame I know.

[lamyai3]

According to AI, "in captivity, ball pythons can be prone to cannibalism, particularly when housed together or when stressed."

 

Therefore it's probably advisable not to keep them in your underpants, where other balls and maybe a smaller snake are hiding out. 

[Dr Jon]

Concealed in his underpants? Hence 'ball' python?

[ignore it]

Shehan, tell us about the time you smuggled the hedgehog.

[thesetat]

There was no police work involved here.. The only reason he got caught was because the police were tipped off about what he was doing. When are the police going to actually praise themselves for something they did 

[mancub]

Would it surprise anyone if the Officials had a BBQ later ?

[Magictoad]

36 minutes ago, thesetat said:

There was no police work involved here.. The only reason he got caught was because the police were tipped off about what he was doing. When are the police going to actually praise themselves for something they did 

All the time !

[Magictoad]

29 minutes ago, mancub said:

Would it surprise anyone if the Officials had a BBQ later ?

Yes. They are protected species 

[kiwikeith]

1 hour ago, AustinRacing said:

If he was African he may have gotten away with it. Next time if you plan to smuggle something out in your pants make it more realistic. Earthworm perhaps. 😂

His hands look very dark, can not see face. Maybe African, how long will he get for these tales.

[Yagoda]

2 hours ago, TofuHead said:

Customs: It looks like a python.  Only smaller.

I never claimed it was an adult size or full grown

[Sup3rfarang]

Is that ball pythons in your shorts or are you just really happy to see me?  🐍 🤣🤣🤣😁

[harleyclarkey]

Whole new meaning to ......hey babe, want to see the snake in my pants? 😉😊

[Jingthing]

I guess it's fair to assume the pythons weren't overly excited.