Hundreds of tortoises found in luggage at Thai airport

BANGKOK, November 7, 2013 (AFP) - Thai customs on Thursday said they had discovered over 420 protected tortoises stashed in unclaimed suitcases on a luggage belt in Bangkok's main international airport.

Officials became suspicious about two unusually heavy bags left on the carousal at Suvarnabhumi Airport, according to a statement from the customs department.

After X-raying the suitcases, they found 423 radiated tortoises, as well as 52 unknown species of turtle or tortoise.

The statement said no suspect was arrested over the bags, which arrived in Thailand on a flight from Bangladesh.

Radiated tortoises are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Thailand, seen as a hub for traffickers of many endangered species, came under pressure over the rampant smuggling of ivory through its territory during CITES talks in Bangkok this year.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-11-07

"Hub for traffickers of many endangered species"....this is the hub that I totally agree on unlike all the other hubs that the government announces every 2 weeks or so.

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There was me thinking 'radiated tortoises' was a result of the x-ray machine ....... DOH!

Well I'm staggered, 2 bags from Bangladesh and no idea who they belong too. Where are these post 9/11 airport and baggage tracking systems? I hope the tortoises are ok, they might be better looked after here now than where they were? That's all that can be hoped for now.

No one noticed the hares as they zipped through fast track immigration.

There was me thinking 'radiated tortoises' was a result of the x-ray machine ....... DOH!

Flown in from Fukashima?? Unclaimed baggage-so the bags will be in the name of a passenger as it's tag will show, all passengers are on record, they have their seat number, name nationality, that will show at passport control entering the kingdom, together with immigration form.

Why no mention of who ?? is it early days ??. They can give the name of the suspect surely. have fingerprints on luggage ?? SORRY I was getting carried away with my Miss Marples bit.

They were spotted, when the suitcases attempted to make a break for it through the Green Channel, sprinting v e r y s l o w l y ....

Radiated Tortoises are found only in Madagascar, so I suspect if these came

on a flight from Bangladesh they would be Star Tortoises,

Don't know why they just did not open the cases instead of X raying them ,

now what are they going to do with them,return back to Bangladesh or

will they be for sale at the market this weekend.

regards Worgeordie

I would view any Special-Offers, on 'Crunchy Meat-Pies', with extreme caution myself !

There was me thinking 'radiated tortoises' was a result of the x-ray machine ....... DOH!

You're not alone!

So many English comedians here. Need a talent showcase for these idiots!

Are these tortoises to be sold in thailand or is thailand a transit point?

Who are buying these turtles in thailand? they cost over thousand dollars.

Lots of tortoise on the coming menus in Bangkok's chinatown.Why the Thai baggage checkers couldn't trace these bags to a specific individual is astonishing. Being left on the baggage belt indicates that a "Thai pickup" didn't show up to claim. Some Thai at the airport must have tipped the Thai pickup crew about a possible set up.

The US today announced that it is crushing and pulverizing 6 tons of ivory confiscated in illegal trade mostly from South East Asia. The US should also keep its eye open for these turtles, as they will be on the move from Bangkok once the Thais arrange a new payoff channel.

How did they get through x-ray security in the first place?

The important issue here is are they yellow shells or red shells? And if they're red shells are they splitters?

Lots of tortoise on the coming menus in Bangkok's chinatown.Why the Thai baggage checkers couldn't trace these bags to a specific individual is astonishing. Being left on the baggage belt indicates that a "Thai pickup" didn't show up to claim. Some Thai at the airport must have tipped the Thai pickup crew about a possible set up.

The US today announced that it is crushing and pulverizing 6 tons of ivory confiscated in illegal trade mostly from South East Asia. The US should also keep its eye open for these turtles, as they will be on the move from Bangkok once the Thais arrange a new payoff channel.

Do we smell a rat here ?? again I will say why hasn't a name on the flight been mentioned- OR whoever checked in and had a ticket had the bags go through in Bangladesh and then not board.

The said person would have to be traced in Bangladesh through their passport. Bangladesh police problem-to arrest.

If the said person did not board the flight with luggage on board, the flight is normally held up and the luggage taken OFF the plane. Then the flight can continue.

Edited November 7, 201312 yr by ginjag

There will be more of this: appropriate food will have to be provided for the 5,000,000 high end Chinese tourists due in very soon

This is ridiculous ANYTHING could have been in the bags, not just poor turtles !

The only way those bags would have been unidentifiable is if the bar code tags had been removed, which could only have happened at the carousel (theoretically). Not to mention that they managed to get them on in the first place......

Unfarkingbekievable !!!!!

"Officials became suspicious about two unusually heavy bags left on the carousal at Suvarnabhumi Airport, according to a statement from the customs department."
"

ca·rous·al (k -rou z l). n. 1. A riotous drinking party. 2. Boisterous drunken merrymaking or revelry. carousal [kəˈraʊzəl].

No wonder the bags got left behind.

Soon to be released into Chinatown.

When people have to resort to cruelty to animals to make money, they should be treated the same. Put them in bags-in the hold and give them a stinking sh#t flight.

There are some lousy so and so folks about. Just make me sick. They are devoid of any feelings, no good upbringing, bread and water in Siberia just the holiday they need ---one way.

as well as 52 unknown species of turtle

Ninja?

So many English comedians here. Need a talent showcase for these idiots!

Let it out Mr Grumpy....

So many English comedians here. Need a talent showcase for these idiots!

How do you know they are of English origin ??? Didn't you score last night ???? too many miserable people in this world.

Are these tortoises to be sold in thailand or is thailand a transit point?

Who are buying these turtles in thailand? they cost over thousand dollars.

I'd guess they were in transit,headed to China I'm sure they could make some bullshit curative medicine from them,maybe something to promote the growth of nose hair,ear hair or whatever at the expense of some tiny animal's life.

I'm sure they'll slowly overcome this obstical and crawl on to their destination regardless.

Maybe they were to be used by Thai Airways as new Mascots for their Old Fleet?

There was me thinking 'radiated tortoises' was a result of the x-ray machine ....... DOH!

"After X-raying the suitcases, they found 423 radiated tortoises"

I think they mean "IRradiated" tortoises.

Radiated Tortoises are found only in Madagascar, so I suspect if these came

on a flight from Bangladesh they would be Star Tortoises,

Don't know why they just did not open the cases instead of X raying them ,

now what are they going to do with them,return back to Bangladesh or

will they be for sale at the market this weekend.

regards Worgeordie

The Chinese will probably pay extra for glow in the dark tortoise shells and meat. Absolutely no doubt that it is a source of virility and penis enlargement for Chinese men. (like more or less everything else).

If someone was taking of the luggage stickers at the carousel then I am sure they would be easy spotted on CCTV and matched up to whoever just came through immigration on that flight, and speedily rounded up by well-organized immigration officials, then stuck in a suitcase and sent home same way.