Officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation recovered 11 otters today that smugglers had been trying to move through Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
According to Budsabong Kanchanasaka, chief of the Department’s wildlife research unit, the otters were found in a suitcase that had been left unattended this Monday in the airport’s departure lounge. Department representatives picked up the suitcase, x-rayed it and found that it contained 11, baby otters.
The Bangkok Post reports that the suitcase had originally been bound for Japan.
Bubsabong speculated that the otters had originated from southern Thailand and mentioned that they would now be relocated to Wildlife Breeding Centers in Chon Buri and Uthai Thani provinces.
In an unrelated raid, Department officials also seized 119 exotic birds from purveyors within Chatuchak Market.
