National Park Office director Chaiwat Limlikhitaksorn on Tuesday (July 16) led Phraya Sue special force, Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division and local police to launch the sting operation to buy the tiger cubs for B350,000 in Sangkha district.
In the operation, authorities seized the two tiger cubs – one male and the other female – that were put in the same cage. Evidence including chat history showed these cubs were bought from a tiger farm in Chon Buri for B200,000, reports the Bangkok Post.
The cubs were found to be dehydrated and suffering from diarrhoea.
“We believe that the two cubs are from a tiger farm in Sri Racha district [in Chon Buri]. We have strong evidence from chat messages. The farm’s main market is in Cambodia,” he said.
The two suspects were also found to have smuggled four Asian elephant tusks totalling 48kg, 26 pieces of African elephant ivories weighing 49.8kg in total and 19 ivory products. The assets are valued about B3 million in total.
He said the authorities have tracked down the network for almost two years. A 10-day surveillance operation suggested the network was backed by local and national politicians.
Currently, authorities are seeking search warrants to inspect locations suspected of being involved in the tiger trafficking and tracing down the network’s related individuals.
The two suspects faced protected animals-related charges including possessing and trading protected animal carcasses, as well as elephant tusks without permission.
The tiger cubs were later taken to Chulabhorn Wildlife Captive Breeding Centre in Si Sa Ket.
Meanwhile, Athapol Charoenshunsa, director-general of the Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), has instructed all relevant agencies to inspect every tiger farm and strict control measures on the increase of the tiger population will be put in place.
In case of illegal trafficking of tigers, the tiger farm owners will have their licence revoked or suspended and will face legal procedures, particularly the illegal activities in the tiger farm in Si Racha district of Chon Buri where there had been reports of sales of six tiger cubs.