Animal Trafficking Gang Busted In Central Thailand

Thai police seized more than 1,600 bear claws and other animal remains in central Thailand's Ayutthaya Province, reports said on Tuesday

BANGKOK, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jan, 2019 ) :Thai police seized more than 1,600 bear claws and other animal remains in central Thailand's Ayutthaya Province, reports said on Tuesday.

Three suspects, including one Lao national and two from Vietnam were nabbed in the search, according to reports.

Police found bear claws wrapped in plastic inside a travel bag, dead turtles and some tiger skulls with the smugglers. They were caught when police searched a bus at a checkpoint.

Police said the haul may have involved the killing of at least 84 bears.

The initial investigation showed that the suspects were transferring the animal remains from Myanmar through northern Thailand's Tak Province. They were attempting to take a bus from Bangkok to Laos and head for Vietnam. The suspects had been coordinating with a head of the smuggling gang in Vietnam.

The gang had trafficked wild animals across borders for at least 10 times, according to police.