Thai police confiscated two leopards, two panthers, an Asiatic black bear, one macaque monkey and one marmoset from the luggage of a man as he tried to board a flight from Bangkok to Dubai on Friday, Thai authorities and an anti-trafficking group reported.
The animals were alive and received immediate veterinary care, according to the group, the FREELAND Foundation, which monitored the arrest.
The suspect, Noor Mahmoodr, a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, was charged with possessing endangered wildlife and smuggling endangered wildlife, said Col. Kiattipong Khaosum-arng of the Thai nature crime police. Mahmoodr was released on bail pending trial, police said.
“We believe Mahmoodr has done this several times already, and there is a network involved in this case,” Kiattipong told CNN.
He said police received a tip that the smuggling attempt would happen Friday morning and were waiting at the airport to make an arrest.
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