87 animals seized from passengers' luggage in Bangkok: smugglers face up to 10 years in prison
Six Indian citizens tried to smuggle 87 animals, many of them endangered, in the luggage of a flight from Bangkok to Mumbai. Fortunately, the contraband was discovered in time.
The animals included a red panda, a tamarin monkey, a fishing cat, a Sulawesi bear couscous, as well as various lizards, snakes, birds, squirrels, and bats. According to Simple Flying, the smugglers transported the animals in terrible conditions: in wicker baskets, cloth bags, and suitcases.
The passengers wanted to fly from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) to Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM).
Their actions violated several Thai laws, including failure to declare live animals, violation of animal disease control laws, and the CITES Convention.
The arrested Indian nationals face up to 10 years in prison or a fine of four times the amount of the import duty.
The animals were promptly seized, and the accused passengers are awaiting the decision of the competent authorities.
The increase in smuggling to India is related to the trend of exotic pets in different parts of the world.
As previously reported by TravelWise, a passenger was detained at Bangkok Airport in Thailand who was trying to board an airplane hiding two otters and a hound in his underwear.