Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — A 47-year-old man in Thailand has been arrested for allegedly engaging in wildlife trafficking after he was caught attempting to smuggle two baby orangutans, Thai police said Thursday.
The arrest took place at a gas station, where the suspect was intercepted while en route to deliver the primates to a buyer. “He was apprehended for illegal possession of protected wildlife,” police said in a statement reported by CNN.
The two orangutan infants were discovered in a plastic basket, with one approximately a year old and the other just one month. In images released by authorities, one of the baby apes is seen wearing a diaper and clutching a stuffed toy and milk bottle, highlighting their fragile state.
The rescued orangutans, named Christopher and Stefan, have been handed over to Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation for medical evaluation and rehabilitation.
Thailand remains a major transit point for wildlife smugglers who supply endangered animals to black markets in China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Authorities estimate that each orangutan can fetch around 300,000 baht (roughly US$8,900) on the illicit market.
Orangutans, native to the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). They are among the most heavily trafficked primates globally.
Read Also:
American Basketball Player Arrested in Indonesia for Allegedly Smuggling Marijuana Candy
Kasidach Charoenlap of Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau said an investigation is underway to trace the origins of the two primates. The suspect has reportedly admitted to acting as a courier but refused to disclose where the animals came from.
Police confirmed the suspect is now in custody and faces charges under Thai law for the illegal possession of protected wildlife, a crime that carries a sentence of up to four years in prison.
The operation was part of a coordinated international effort involving Thai police, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Dutch Wildlife Justice Commission, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Authorities said the investigation on the smuggle attempt of orangutans is ongoing as they seek to dismantle a wider trafficking network and determine whether the orangutans were bred domestically or smuggled in from abroad.
(Raidi/Agung)
