Voice Of Post

110 turtles, 21 snakes, nine geckos and four woodchuck: Staggering menagerie two Japanese men tried to smuggle in their suitcases, Two tourists were arrested at an airport in Thailand as they tried to smuggle an incredible 144 exotic animals out of the country.

Customs officers were stunned when they opened the suitcases of Naoki Hiraguchi and Toshikazu Kawai, both 39, and discovered the haul of rare wildlife.

The pair were trying to smuggle 110 pig-nosed turtles, four woodchuck, 21 snakes and nine geckos from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok to Nagoya in Japan.

Khanit Isadul, a senior customs official who led the search, said the two Japanese men confessed that they had bought the animals at Chatuchak weekend market for about £10,000.

They claimed they wanted to raise exotic animals at home and also give some to their friends as souvenirs of their trip.
The smuggled wildlife were listed as endangered species in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
The seized animals would be handed to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and other relevant agencies, said Mr Khanit.

Thailand is one of the world's biggest hubs for wildlife trafficking, but in recent years, the country has tried to shed its reputation as a source and destination for exotic meat and rare pets.

But demand from China, including for tiger parts and ivory tusks, has fuelled a thriving trade in illicit wildlife.
Animal rights activists have also expressed concerns about the welfare of animals at tourist attractions across Thailand, which has popular elephant camps, monkey shows and tiger farms.

Illegal trade of animals in the country is rife, as wildlife parts are often used for traditional east Asian medicines.