Shocking discovery at the airport: 187 live turtles discovered in luggage!

Shocking discovery at the airport: 187 live turtles discovered in luggage!

Thai authorities recently seized over 180 turtle eggs at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok in an alarming incident. The eggs were part of a smuggling attempt in which 187 Egyptian turtles were found in luggage that should have been sent to Laos. This discovery, made on September 11 by the Thailand Wildlife Enforcement Network (WEN), highlights how serious the wildlife trafficking problem remains. The suspect, who wanted to travel with the animals in his luggage, was arrested and is now facing several charges relating to violations of the Wildlife Reserve and Protection Act, the Customs Act and the Animal Diseases Act.

In total, 185 of the turtles were alive, while two died during transport. To confirm the species of turtles found, they were taken to the Wildlife Conservation Office before being returned to their country of origin. This is the second incident this month, after another passenger was arrested on September 6 for illegally smuggling rhino horns. Such incidents show how deeply rooted the problem of wildlife trafficking is.

Wildlife trade in numbers

Wildlife trafficking is an international problem linked to poaching, smuggling and the illegal trade of protected species. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest illegal trade in the world and is estimated to be worth over $20 billion annually. Not only does this contribute to the spread of invasive species, but it can also spread dangerous diseases that can harm people. A disturbing example of this is the Burmese python in the Florida Everglades, which threatens native mammal populations.

The third edition of the World Wildlife Crime Report, published by the UNODC, shows that wildlife trafficking continues to thrive worldwide despite efforts over the past two decades. Although progress has been made in reducing poaching of some iconic species, such as elephants and rhinos, the global level of wildlife crime remains significant. Between 2015 and 2021, illegal trafficking activities were detected in 162 countries and territories, highlighting how complex and widespread this problem is.

The way into the future

Protecting biodiversity and combating the illegal wildlife trade requires comprehensive measures. The EU, for example, is one of the largest importers of wild animals. A small proportion of traded species fall under international or EU legislation, resulting in many threatened species being illegally exported to the EU. Experts are calling for legal loopholes to be urgently closed and stressing the need for stronger regulation of online trade in protected species.

Together with organizations such as the Wildlife Conservation Society, experts are pushing for a global treaty against wildlife trafficking and the introduction of new laws to ban the import, sale, purchase and possession of illegally obtained wildlife. The next CITES conference, taking place from November 24 to December 5, 2025, could be an opportunity to support such demands and discuss effective measures.

Thai authorities make it clear that the fight against wildlife trafficking is not just a local but a global concern that requires joint efforts. It remains to be hoped that further such discoveries will raise public awareness and encourage a rethink in society.

For more information on global efforts to combat wildlife trafficking, read reports from Yahoo, UNODC and IFAW: Yahoo, UNODC, IFAW.