Thai authorities seize 130 kg of ivory near Lao border
Thai authorities seized 130 kilograms of ivory and animal remains near the Mekong River in Nong Khai province, with suspects escaping under cover of darkness as officials expand a joint investigation with Laos into a suspected transnational
NONG KHAI — 18 May 2026 — Thai authorities seized more than 150 kilograms of ivory and animal remains along the Mekong River in Nong Khai province and are cooperating with Laos to expand an investigation into a suspected transnational wildlife trafficking network, officials said on Sunday.
Sadudee Phanphakdee, Director of the Wildlife and Flora Protection Division under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), revealed that officials received a tip-off about an attempt to smuggle illegal goods across the border into Laos. Authorities then deployed officers to inspect a riverside stairway along the Mekong River in Ban Mueang Mi Yai, Mueang Mi Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nong Khai Province.
Upon arriving at the scene, the suspects used the cover of darkness and their familiarity with the area to narrowly escape arrest. A search of the surrounding area uncovered abandoned suspicious items. Officials seized 22 cut sections of ivory weighing a combined 130.9 kilograms, along with two sacks containing unidentified animal remains resembling skeletal fragments, weighing a total of 29 kilograms.
Other animal remains seized at the scene were laid out for inspection but could not immediately be identified.
Authorities initially recorded and confiscated all evidence before transferring the case to local investigators for further legal proceedings. Officials are also working to trace and apprehend other members of the trafficking operation.
Meanwhile, the Wildlife and Flora Protection Division under CITES has already shared details of the seizure and related cases with representatives of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Thai and Lao authorities are now coordinating investigations, expanding intelligence-sharing efforts and strengthening joint law enforcement operations aimed at dismantling cross-border wildlife trafficking networks along the frontier.
