Customs Seize 473 Smuggled Mud Turtles at Suvarnabhumi Airport
Thai authorities seized 473 protected mud turtles smuggled from Mexico at Suvarnabhumi Airport on November 3, 2026. The CITES-listed reptiles were hidden in five express parcels falsely declared as leather belts. Multiple agencies collaborated on the bust, and the investigation is being expanded to identify all members of the trafficking network.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surachai Chinakul ordered a crackdown on an international wildlife trafficking syndicate after Suvarnabhumi Airport wildlife checkpoint officers, working with Customs, Fisheries, and Border Patrol Police, seized 473 live and dead mud turtles (Kinosternidae) hidden in five express parcels from Mexico. The shipment was falsely declared as leather belts to evade inspection. The bust occurred on November 3, 2026, at the airport's bonded warehouse in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan.
Minister Surachai said the ministry prioritizes preventing and suppressing cross-border wildlife trafficking, which threatens biodiversity and violates both domestic and international law. He added that this seizure reflects the effectiveness of intelligence sharing and risk analysis by officials.
Surachai affirmed that Thailand will not tolerate being used as a transit route or destination for illegal wildlife trade. He directed the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to coordinate with relevant agencies to expand the investigation to senders, recipients, and all accomplices for full prosecution.
Officers detected anomalies from X-ray scans of high-risk parcels on flight KE657 from Mexico. The parcels listed Thai senders and recipients and declared contents as "LEATHER BELTS." Officials held the parcels and searched them with Thai Airways staff, discovering the large number of live and dead mud turtles.
The offenses violate the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act B.E. 2562, Customs Act B.E. 2560, Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2558, and Fisheries Act B.E. 2558. The case has been transferred to Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station for legal action. The Department of National Parks will hand the seized turtles to wildlife health teams for treatment and care per animal welfare standards, while intensifying screening of air cargo from high-risk countries to block future smuggling attempts.
