Stewardess caught at Bangkok airport trying to smuggle 30 turtles under her clothes
The smuggler faces up to 10 years in prison.
At Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, customs officials made a discovery that surprised and shocked even experienced staff. They stopped a 19-year-old girl from Taiwan who was about to fly to Taipei — and found 30 live turtles hidden under her clothes.
As reported by Bild, citing the Bangkok Post, the animals were taped to her body and placed in small bags. The smuggler likely tried to avoid detection of the turtles during a routine baggage check. Body scanners do not always provide images as clear as baggage scanners. This was evidently the calculation. These are Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans) — a strictly protected species, therefore highly sought after on the black market.
For the animals, such a method of transport means hours of suffering. They have almost no air, no water, and cannot move. Many suffocate, get injured, or die from stress. In some Asian countries, Indian star tortoises are considered exotic pets. On the black market, their price can reach hundreds or thousands of euros per animal.
For the detained woman, who reportedly works as a flight attendant for a Vietnamese airline, this could have serious consequences. Thailand has a law on the conservation and protection of wildlife. Illegal possession or export of protected species carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to one million baht (approximately 25,000 euros).
The 30 Indian star tortoises have been confiscated and handed over to specialists.