BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister Suchart Chomklin has commended the swift action of Thai authorities following the arrest of three Taiwanese nationals caught attempting to smuggle 62 rare and protected wild animals out of Don Mueang Airport. The arrests were the result of a joint operation between the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division (NED), and Don Mueang Airport Customs.
The suspects, scheduled to depart for Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on a Thai AirAsia flight, were apprehended in the early hours of October 15 after their luggage was flagged during X-ray screening at the airport’s international departures terminal. Authorities later identified the three men as Hsu Ching Chung, Hong Zhi-Xian, and Yang Tsung-Ju. Their baggage contained various live animals hidden inside.
Officials seized a total of 62 animals, including 45 Indian Star Tortoises, three Black Marsh Turtles, seven Crocodile Lizards, two Mountain Tortoises, three Keeled Box Turtles, one Spider Tortoise, and the carcass of another Keeled Box Turtle. Many of the species are protected under Thai and international law and are commonly targeted by traffickers due to their high black-market value.
The suspects were charged under Thailand’s Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, Animal Epidemics Act, and Customs Act. Both the individuals and the animals were handed over to NED officers for legal processing and further investigation. Authorities believe the smuggling attempt is linked to a larger trafficking network.
Law enforcement agencies are now pursuing additional suspects believed to be involved in the case. While some individuals evaded arrest due to a lack of evidence at the time, ongoing efforts are underway to locate and prosecute all parties connected to the operation under Thai law. (NNT)
