Four Indian nationals are being held on charges of trying to smuggle protected wildlife out of Thailand after police seized 100 Indian star tortoises, a gibbon and a langur at a house in Bang Khunthian district of Bangkok.
Officers from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division (NED) apprehended the four men aged between 24 and 53 on Wednesday under arrest warrants issued by the Central Tax Court, Pol Maj Gen Anek Taosuparp, the NED commander, said on Thursday.
The suspects have been charged with colluding to export goods that had not undergone customs clearance, and exporting protected and controlled wildlife without permission.
In addition to the animals, the arresting team seized three suitcases and a white Mazda 3 sedan with Udon Thani licence plates as evidence.
According to Pol Maj Gen Anek, the investigation began in May after police received information from an airline that luggage belonging to a passenger travelling from Thailand to India had been returned because it contained live wild animals and carcasses.
Subsequent investigations uncovered a transnational wildlife trafficking network, he said, with three of the Indian suspects playing distinct roles in the operation.
One of the suspects acted as a customer coordinator, while two others were responsible for sourcing wildlife requested by clients and arranging shipments abroad, said Pol Maj Gen Anek.
The investigation traced the group to a house on Bang Kradi Soi 19 in Bang Khunthian that served as a storage and packing location for wildlife prior to export. Police subsequently placed the property under close surveillance.
Police later observed members of the group handing suitcases containing wildlife to another Indian man identified as Thameem at a hotel. He then transported the luggage to Suvarnabhumi Airport for loading onto an outbound flight.
Officers intercepted the luggage and found one gibbon, two langurs, six tegu lizards and five blue-tongued skinks concealed inside the suitcases. Mr Thameem was arrested at the scene.
Further investigation led authorities to identify additional members of the network, prompting the court to approve warrants for the four Indian accomplices.
During questioning, all four suspects confessed to the charges, said Pol Maj Gen Anek.
They have been handed over to NED investigators for legal proceedings, while officers continue to pursue other members of the trafficking network.
