Thailand Seizes Hundreds Of Turtles In Air Luggage

[webfact]

Thailand seizes hundreds of turtles in air luggage

BANGKOK, June 2, 2011 (AFP) - Thai customs have discovered hundreds of live turtles and other rare animals in luggage at Bangkok's main airport, the latest in a series of wildlife seizures in the kingdom, an official said Thursday.

The haul, which included 35 star tortoises and is worth an estimated one million baht ($33,000), was discovered in suitcases from Bangladesh in transit at Suvarnabhumi Airport on the way to India.

The owner of the luggage, which also included gavials, a reptile related to crocodiles, escaped before police could arrest him.

The star tortoise, which is popular in Asia as an exotic pet, is listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and a permit is required to export them.

Last September Thailand -- home to some of the world's largest wildlife trafficking operations -- seized more than 1,000 star tortoises that were smuggled into the country on a flight from Bangladesh.

And last month a citizen of the United Arab Emirates was arrested as he attempted to smuggle live endangered animals, including four leopard cubs, out of Thailand, although authorities said on Tuesday he had fled the country.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-06-02

[webfact]

Thai customs officers seize 451 smuggled Indian turtles

Bangkok airport customs officials confiscated 451 turtles and seven baby gavials that had been packed in suitcases on a flight from Dhaka to Bangkok, officials said Thursday.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport customs officials on Wednesday found the animals stuffed in four suitcases that had been abandoned at the luggage carousels.

"The owner of the suitcases must have abandoned his luggage when he saw that customs officials were inspecting everyone's bags," Customs Department Director-General Prasong Poontaneat said.

They found hundreds of Indian star tortoises and mud turtles and seven baby gavials, an endangered crocodile species with a long, thin snout.

The three species, all indigenous to India and Bangladesh, are popular on Bangkok's pet markets.

"I want to appeal to the public not to buy these pets because they will not survive in Thailand," Prasong told a press conference.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

[webfact]

Customs officials seize endangered tortoises, turtles at airport

BANGKOK, June 2 – Customs officials seized 451 tortoises, soft-shelled turtles and gharials smuggled into Thailand at Suvarnabhumi Airport by a suspected international smuggling syndicate of endangered animals, according to Director-General Prasong Poontanet of the Thai Customs Department.

The reptiles were worth Bt1 million (some US$33,000), including 140 small aquatic turtles, 35 Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans), seven soft-shelled turtles, seven gharials, one Asian narrow-headed soft-shelled turtle and some other species of tortoises.

All the confiscated animals were hidden in baggage from the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka to Bangkok, Mr Prasong told a press briefing on Thursday.

Currently, the reptiles are being cared for by the airport’s Wildlife Checkpoint, as evidence, for further investigation and following up the gang of alleged smugglers.

The related customs officials also lodged a complaint at a local police station to locate the gang of alleged smugglers for legal prosecution.

Thailand signed an agreement under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international agreement between governments, designed to ensure that the international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

If found guilty, the members of the syndicate will be charged, according to Thailand’s Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act and Customs Act. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-06-02

[hughben]

Why do you transit in Thailand from Bangladesh to India which both share a border?

Anyway, the culprit would have escaped anyway as is the norm it seems.

[Pib]

Yea, but I bet you the culprit had to walk really fast to get away....he might have even dropped some tea money during the escape.

[Nisa]

Obviously more to the story. If they were in transit then why didn't they stop them on arrival in India? If they didn't get on their Indian flight then certainly they know who the person is. Also, how would the person know that their luggage had been checked and flagged on a transfer flight? And as another poster mentioned ... why transit through Thailand at all?

[TRicher]

The people who are looking to make money on these poor creatures really don't care about the planet, or themselves. My main concern after reading this article is they may have allowed the authorities the chance to capture this particular case, while smuggling 2 or 3 times the amount out of Thailand. They may look at it as a "cost of doing business". The excitement of finding case 1 would have brought attention to this case. Meanwhile the culprits are loading up case 2, 3 or even 4, and taking them to there destination. Yes, at this point there is no one to be found.

[WEBLEDINK]

How many get out of the country that dont get caught? Lots of seizures lately. They must see which custom inspector is on vacation or out with in illness! The one that amazed me the most was the tigers or leopards they found. They dont care about the lives of these animals for sure!

[krangeek]

The people who are looking to make money on these poor creatures really don't care about the planet, or themselves. My main concern after reading this article is they may have allowed the authorities the chance to capture this particular case, while smuggling 2 or 3 times the amount out of Thailand. They may look at it as a "cost of doing business". The excitement of finding case 1 would have brought attention to this case. Meanwhile the culprits are loading up case 2, 3 or even 4, and taking them to there destination. Yes, at this point there is no one to be found.

As the prvious poster said, and we all know, the Thais, mostly, don't care and don't understand what the fuss is all about. I mean IT'S MONEY INNIT?!

[krangeek]

The people who are looking to make money on these poor creatures really don't care about the planet, or themselves. My main concern after reading this article is they may have allowed the authorities the chance to capture this particular case, while smuggling 2 or 3 times the amount out of Thailand. They may look at it as a "cost of doing business". The excitement of finding case 1 would have brought attention to this case. Meanwhile the culprits are loading up case 2, 3 or even 4, and taking them to there destination. Yes, at this point there is no one to be found.

As the prvious poster said, and we all know, the Thais, mostly, don't care and don't understand what the fuss is all about. I mean IT'S MONEY INNIT?!

[TimTang]

Thailand seizes hundreds of turtles in air luggage

But 4 escape as they manage to outrun the local constabulary.

Update at Eleven!

[dale8]

Hello, how did the bags not get checked with an xray like in other countries? Some criminal organizations will be looking at this story and know they can get away with almost anything including drugs or bombs. Surely the airport people must have to answer to this as well because it is not acceptable under any circumstances, and the Thai airport workers should get high praise for looking in the bags. It is sad that the person or people did escape so they will never pay for their crime.

[Nisa]

The people who are looking to make money on these poor creatures really don't care about the planet, or themselves. My main concern after reading this article is they may have allowed the authorities the chance to capture this particular case, while smuggling 2 or 3 times the amount out of Thailand. They may look at it as a "cost of doing business". The excitement of finding case 1 would have brought attention to this case. Meanwhile the culprits are loading up case 2, 3 or even 4, and taking them to there destination. Yes, at this point there is no one to be found.

This shipment neither originated or was destined for Thailand ... at least that is what the news is reporting. Thai officials actually discovered the shipment while it was "in transit" through the airport.

[FOODLOVER]

Edited June 3, 2011 by FOODLOVER