Thai police prevent smuggling of endangered animals

Thai police seized endangered animals at Bangkoks international airport before they were smuggled to Dubai, police said on Friday (May 13).Four leopards, a black tufted marmoset, a white cheek gibbon and a Malayan sun bear were found sleeping in two pieces of hand luggage of a first-class passenger from the United Arab Emirate (UAE) boarding the flight to Dubai.The police accused the man of smuggling the endangered animals after being tipped off to look for an Arab man with a suitcase full of wild animals.The animals, aged about 3 to 12 months, were drugged for the six-hour flight. The police said the suspect was hired to carry two bags to UAE and denied any involvement in animal trafficking network.All confiscated animals will be sent to a rehabilitation centre and later re-introduced to their natural habitats.