Teen with 30 tortoises under clothes nabbed at Thai airport

Thai authorities say they've arrested a teenager at a Bangkok airport for allegedly smuggling 30 protected tortoises. (Thai Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation)

Thai authorities arrested a teenager at a Bangkok airport for allegedly smuggling 30 protected tortoises valued at about US$9,000 that were taped under her clothing, wildlife officials said Wednesday.

Thailand is a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers who often sell highly prized endangered animals on the lucrative black market in Asia.

Authorities became suspicious of the 19-year-old Taiwanese woman’s unusual movements as she prepared to board a flight to Taipei early Tuesday, Thailand’s wildlife conservation department said in a statement.

A search at Suvarnabhumi airport’s departure terminal uncovered the Indian star tortoises -- 29 alive and one dead -- strapped to her body, the department said.

“The suspect had used adhesive tape to immobilize the animals, packed them into cloth bags and attached them to her body to evade detection,” it added.

The Thai customs department said the tortoises -- protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) -- commanded a high price on the black market.

The woman was charged with illegally transporting animals and evading customs controls.

Authorities said they were investigating whether she was part of a wider smuggling network.

Indian star tortoises are classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which says they have been targeted to meet international demand for use as “exotic pets”.

The surviving tortoises were transferred to wildlife conservation officials for care and to serve as evidence.