Summary
- Six Indian nationals were caught at BKK airport with 87 endangered animals in luggage sure for BOM airport in Mumbai.
- Violated Thai laws, including CITIES regulations. Smugglers face a possible 10 years in jail or a hefty effective if found guilty.
- Thailand is a hotspot for animal smuggling. Traffic NGO report highlights high levels of trafficking within the region.
Six Indian Nationals attempting to fly out of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) were caught with 87 animals of their baggage. The passengers were attempting to board a flight to Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM).
The cargo
Lots of the 87 animals present in the baggage were endangered. Officials found an endangered red panda, a critically endangered cotton-top tamarin monkey, a fishing cat, and a Sulawesi bear among the many animals. In response to the Red Panda Network, lower than 10,000 red pandas are left worldwide, and as few as 2,500 are within the wild. In response to the Thailand Customs Department, other animals present in the baggage included various lizards, snakes, birds, squirrels, and bats.
Photo: Jay Limsirichai | Shutterstock
In a press release to the press, the Thailand Customs Department said:
The animals were smuggled in various containers, starting from wicker baskets to fabric bags, all stuffed into large wheeled suitcases. Of their poor try and smuggle these animals, the six Indian nationals have violated several laws.
The smugglers violated multiple Thai laws, including failing to declare live animals and violating animal disease control laws. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITIES) has also been violated. CITIES regulates the trade of untamed animals and plant species.
The individuals were promptly arrested and are awaiting further motion. If found guilty, the Indian nationals could withstand 10 years in jail or a effective 4 times the import duties.
An increase in animal smuggling
In response to a 2018 report by the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Traffic, which campaigns against illegal wildlife trade, the smuggling occurs ceaselessly. The report studied the period between 2009 and 2016 and located that 1,346 wildlife seizures occurred across the aviation sector. The info was collected across 136 countries.
Photo: JetKat | Shutterstock
Traffic’s report identified that Thailand has the second-highest variety of smuggling attempts. In response to TRAFFIC, there’s a high level of trafficking using the air traffic sector between Southeast and South Asia, especially between Thailand and India.
Kanitha Krishnasamy, Traffic’s director for Southeast Asia, spoke in regards to the increased levels of wildlife trafficking within the region:
The rise in smuggling to India is as a result of the country’s trend of owning exotic pets, which include red pandas, kangaroos, and other endangered species. Air travel is the popular mode of transport for these smugglers, allowing them to get the animals to other destinations faster.