Bangkok--24 Feb--FREELAND
Provincial Police raided the house of a known Illegal weapons dealer in Sa Keao Thailand, and discovered six tigers. Acting on a tip-off about the presence of illegal weapons at the site, the Provincial police raided the suspect’s home in Sa Keao, near the Cambodian border. Once inside, they discovered six tiger cubs (between 3-6 months old). Thailand’s Nature Crime Police were called to the site to investigate the incident. After the owner was unable to produce a possession permit, the tigers were seized. The bust highlights the link between the trafficking of endangered wildlife and other illegal trades, including weapons.
Once the Provincial Police uncovered the tigers, Lt. Col. Adtapon Sudsai of the Thai Nature Crime Police assisted them with the case. The police put the tiger cubs, each weighing between 20 — 30 kg, into the custody of the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). Despite their endangered status, tigers like those that police seized today continue to be purchased for their bones and organs in medicines, and their skins as trophies and ornaments. Tigers can fetch $30,000 dollars US on the black market. These profits help fuel organized crime in the region — including the same criminal networks responsible for the trafficking of illegal arms, drugs and people.
Thailand is a leading member of the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN), under which the Nature Crime Police received 3 years of training to conduct wildlife enforcement operations. ASEAN-WEN and FREELAND conduct training throughout the region, with support from the United States Agency for International Development and other US agencies.
For more information, contact FREELAND Communications Liaison Roy Schlieben +66 2 204 2719 or +66 8 4931 9490.
Note to Editors:
FREELAND is an international organization dedicated to making the world free of wildlife trafficking and human slavery. It is headquartered in Bangkok and works throughout Asia and beyond. FREELAND programs include support for law enforcement agencies through training and tip-offs; support to vulnerable communities through alternative livelihoods; and public education through mass media campaigns and grassroots outreach.
To learn more about FREELAND, visit www.freeland.org.