Bangkok Airport Sees Surge in Wildlife Smuggling Attempts
Turtles, iguanas, crocodiles, raccoons, chameleons and gibbons all seized in recent weeks as smugglers attempt to transport endangered species through Suvarnabhumi
Quick Look
- Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport has intercepted multiple wildlife smuggling attempts in recent days.
- A 19-year-old passenger was caught with dozens of tortoises strapped to her body bound for Taipei.
- Previous seizures include hundreds of turtles, blue-green iguanas, a freshwater crocodile from Bengaluru, raccoons in a check-in box, and endangered gibbons with chameleons, all destined for India.
AI-generated summary
On Wednesday, a 19-year-old passenger bound for Taipei tried to evade security at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport with dozens of fist-sized tortoises strapped to her body. A day earlier, hundreds of live turtles and bright blue-green iguanas, along with a freshwater crocodile, were all seized on arrival in Bangkok from the Indian city of Bengaluru. There were raccoons in a box meant for check-in by an Indian woman on April 18. A few days before that, it was chameleons and a pair of endangered gibbons – also destined for India. One of the raccoons had already died in the nearly airless container by the time airport authorities detected the box.
