A red panda, two monkeys, snakes, lizards, rare birds and a Sulawesi bear cuscus – a type of rare marsupial native to Indonesia – were among 87 animals confiscated by customs officials.
Shocked Thai customs officials made the discovery while checking in the luggage of six Indian nationals at the airport on Monday, according to Thailand’s Customs Department.
The five men and one woman were arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle the animals out of Thailand to Mumbai, India.
The red panda and Sulawesi bear cuscus were found inside wicker baskets, while the monkeys and a large-billed parrot were found inside plastic containers with air holes.
Thailand is a major transit hub for illegal wildlife smugglers.
The animals are usually sold in China and Vietnam, but India has become a growing market.
The full list of smuggled animals located inside the suitcases according to the Thai Customs Department is as follows:
- 2 cotton top tamarins
- 1 red panda
- 1 Sulawesi bear cuscus
- 29 chameleons
- 21 snakes (Corn snake, Red Bamboo snake)
- 15 birds (including large-billed parrot and bird-of-paradise species)
- 7 monitor lizards
- 4 skinks
- 2 red-eyed squirrels
- 2 bats
- 1 frog
- 1 rat
- 1 tigerfish