Hong Kong passenger held with protected monkeys and turtles at airport

Customs officials at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport have seized two tamarin monkeys and four Indian tent turtles from a Chinese passenger as he was preparing to travel to the Philippines.

Santanee Phairattanakorn, director of the Suvarnabhumi Airport Passenger Control Office, estimated on Friday that the seized animals are worth about Bt 128,000 on the black market.

Indian tent turtle

The detention of the Hong Kong suspect was the result of cooperation with the airport’s wildlife inspection checkpoint, she said.

The suspect has been charged with violating the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act BE 2562 (2019) by attempting to export controlled wildlife without permission, as well as the Customs Act BE 2560 (2017) by attempting to export goods that had not undergone customs clearance.