Hot on the heels of three major tortoise and freshwater turtle seizures in Asia comes another in Bangkok involving nearly 300 turtles and the arrest of two men suspected of smuggling them.
On 12th March, Royal Thai Customs officers discovered 218 Black Spotted Turtles (Geoclemys hamiltonii) and 54 Indian Narrow-headed Softshell Turtles (Chitra indica) in check-in luggage.
The two Indian nationals, who took a flight from Gaya and Varanasi in India to Bangkok, were due to board a flight to Macau when their luggage was checked and the turtles found.
Initial investigations show the end destination for the turtles was Hong Kong. The duo has been handed over to Royal Thai Police for further investigations.
“This previously unknown trade route for smuggling turtles from Gaya and Varanasi to Bangkok is often used by religious tourists,” said Dr Shekhar Kumar Niraj, Head of TRAFFIC in India.
The involvement of Thailand, India and Hong Kong in the illegal trade in rare tortoises and freshwater turtles was highlighted earlier this year when over a thousand specimens were confiscated from smugglers in three separate seizures. All three seizures passed through Bangkok, with at least two involving tortoises and freshwater turtles originating from India.
28/03/14 Annamiticus
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On 12th March, Royal Thai Customs officers discovered 218 Black Spotted Turtles (Geoclemys hamiltonii) and 54 Indian Narrow-headed Softshell Turtles (Chitra indica) in check-in luggage.
The two Indian nationals, who took a flight from Gaya and Varanasi in India to Bangkok, were due to board a flight to Macau when their luggage was checked and the turtles found.
Initial investigations show the end destination for the turtles was Hong Kong. The duo has been handed over to Royal Thai Police for further investigations.
“This previously unknown trade route for smuggling turtles from Gaya and Varanasi to Bangkok is often used by religious tourists,” said Dr Shekhar Kumar Niraj, Head of TRAFFIC in India.
The involvement of Thailand, India and Hong Kong in the illegal trade in rare tortoises and freshwater turtles was highlighted earlier this year when over a thousand specimens were confiscated from smugglers in three separate seizures. All three seizures passed through Bangkok, with at least two involving tortoises and freshwater turtles originating from India.
28/03/14 Annamiticus
