Thai authorities arrested a 19-year-old Taiwanese woman at Suvarnabhumi Airport after 30 Indian star tortoises were found taped to her body as she tried to board a flight to Taipei. Twenty-nine tortoises survived and one was dead; the animals are protected under CITES and valued at about $9,000 on the black market. The woman faces charges of illegally transporting animals and evading customs while investigators probe possible links to a larger smuggling network.
19-Year-Old Arrested After 30 Indian Star Tortoises Found Taped Under Clothing at Bangkok Airport
Authorities became suspicious of the 19-year-old Taiwanese woman's unusual movements as she prepared to board a flight (Handout)(Handout/NATIONAL PARK, WILDLIFE AND PLANT CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT (DNP)/AFP)
Thai authorities arrested a 19-year-old Taiwanese woman at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport after officers discovered 30 Indian star tortoises taped and strapped beneath her clothing as she prepared to board an early-morning flight to Taipei, wildlife officials said.
How Officials Discovered the Smuggling
Staff from the Wildlife Conservation Department became suspicious of the woman's movements at the departure terminal and conducted a search. Authorities found 30 tortoises attached to her body in cloth bags and immobilised with adhesive tape — 29 were alive and one was dead, the department reported.
Legal Status and Value
The Thai Customs Department said the Indian star tortoises are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Their estimated black-market value was about $9,000 in total. The suspect faces charges of illegally transporting protected animals and evading customs controls.
Wider Investigation and Animal Care
Authorities are investigating whether the woman acted alone or as part of a larger smuggling network. The surviving tortoises were transferred to wildlife conservation officials for veterinary care and will be kept as evidence in the case.
Species Note: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists Indian star tortoises as a vulnerable species. They are often targeted to satisfy demand for exotic pets across international markets.
Thai airports are frequently used as transit hubs by wildlife traffickers moving endangered species into lucrative markets across Asia, officials said.
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