Thai customs officers discovered several hundred live turtles as well as other uncommon animals in suitcases at the main airport in Bangkok, media reports on Thursday say.
In total, 451 turtles were discovered, worth around one million baht ($33,000) in total, at Suvarnabhumi Airport in luggage abound for India, reported Reuters.
Seven ‘false gavials,’ a type of crocodile worth 10,000 baht ($331) each, were also discovered.
Officials said that he suitcases belonged to a Bangladeshi national who left the country after arriving in Bangkok.
The suitcases also contained 35 star tortoises, which are popular in Asia, and are listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, and a permit is needed to export them, reported AFP.
Thailand is commonly used as a wildlife trafficking base. Last September, luggage containing more than 1,000 star tortoises were seized after they were smuggled into the country from Bangladesh.
Last August, officials discovered a two-month-old tiger cub in a bag hidden around stuffed tiger toys that was headed for Iran.
And just last month, smugglers attempted to traffic two panthers, two leopards, an Asiatic black bear, and two monkeys.
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