BANGKOK — 3 April 2026, Thai authorities have arrested two Taiwanese men accused of attempting to smuggle protected wildlife out of the country via Don Mueang airport, officials said.
The arrests were made at about 3:45 on during a joint operation involving wildlife checkpoint officers, environmental crime police, airport authorities and airline staff.
Officials said the suspects, aged 25 and 32, were preparing to board a flight to Kaohsiung when they were stopped and searched.
Three live protected animals were found concealed on their bodies: two Asian small-clawed otters and one slow loris.
The men were taken into custody along with the animals and handed over to investigators from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division.
They face charges under Thailand’s Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act of 2019, including illegal possession of protected wildlife and attempting to export protected species without permission.
Atthaphon Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin had ordered authorities to pursue the case strictly and expand the investigation to identify any trafficking network involved.
Officials have also been instructed to tighten inspections at airports and border checkpoints nationwide as part of efforts to combat transnational wildlife trafficking.
