Six Indian citizens were detained by Thai customs officers for trying to illegally transport multiple wild creatures, such as a red panda and a cotton-top tamarin monkey, across the borders.
Police discovered 87 animals, such as monitor lizards, birds, and snakes, hidden in the suspects’ checked bags at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok. The individuals were attempting to board a flight to Mumbai.
Illegal wildlife trade poses a significant threat to
Thailand is a central location for the illegal trafficking of wildlife, a global trade worth billions of dollars. This is largely due to the country’s diverse flora and fauna, strategic location, and developed infrastructure. Thailand serves as a transit point for animals destined for markets in China and Vietnam, and there has been a rise in trafficking to India in recent years. The illegal trade of wildlife is a serious threat to Thailand’s biodiversity.
The customs department stated on Wednesday that a total of 87 animals, including 29 black throat monitor lizards, 21 snakes, and 15 birds (including parrots), were discovered hidden inside luggage.
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The department’s photos revealed a red panda, which is a species in danger of extinction and similar in size to a regular house cat, with a body resembling that of a bear, peering out of a wicker basket.
The ICUN red list identifies the cotton-top tamarin monkey as a critically endangered species. It was confined in a plastic box. The basket containing a Sulawesi bear cuscus, classified as vulnerable, had been securely sealed with tape. Snakes and lizards were stored in cloth bags and plastic food containers.
If the suspects are proven guilty, they could potentially be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison or be required to pay a fine four times the value of import duties.
In February, a male from Mongolia was detained at the identical airport for allegedly attempting to illicitly transport Komodo dragons, pythons, and over 20 live fish from Thailand.
Kanitha Krishnasamy, the south-east Asia director for Traffic, an NGO focused on the illegal wildlife trade, said there had been a “very active and persistent level of trafficking of live animals between south-east Asia and south Asia”, especially since the resumption of air travel after the lifting of Covid lockdowns.
According to her, the magnitude and variety of animals being illegally transported from southeast Asia to south Asia is astounding. The latest incident involves the smuggling of wild species from South America, the Himalayas, and Indonesia.
Airlines and the transportation industry have a vital responsibility, as they are the first line of defense in identifying and stopping the transportation of illegal items via luggage on airplanes or as cargo. They are equipped to not only detect these items, but also work with law enforcement to identify the individuals involved in the trafficking operation.
– “Contributed by Agence France-Presse to the report.”
Source: theguardian.com
