A Mongolian man was arrested Saturday at Bangkok International Airport as he was preparing to board a flight with snakes, Komodo dragons and turtles in his suitcases, Thai customs officials said Monday.
The kingdom is a notorious hub for wildlife trafficking, usually destined for major markets like Vietnam or China, where they are used in traditional medicine.
Animal smuggling
Customs officials found two komodo dragons, six Indian star tortoises, eight iguanas, five pythons, a boa constrictor and 24 exotic fish.
The wild animals were discovered during a search of the luggage of the man who was preparing to board a flight to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.
Authorities charged the man with smuggling protected animals, the customs department said.
Last October, Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport suspended an airport employee after a traveler smuggled more than 30 live animals onto a flight to Taiwan.
The mobile menagerie included two baby otters, 28 baby turtles and a marmot.