About 4,000 Endangered Baby Turtles Seized

TAK, June 18 (TNA) – About 4,000 endangered baby turtles were seized from a passenger van at a checkpoint on Mae Sot-Tak Road. The seizure took place in the morning when security officers found the protected animals in well sealed boxes on the van that was traveling from the Thai-Myanmar border. Apart from about 4,000 baby red-eared slider turtles, officials also found about 600 Indian roofed turtles, about 70 baby snapping turtles and about 30 snakehead fish in a water-filled bag. The tired animals were sent to the Fish Inspection Office of Tak province. The van driver identified only as Sanchai said a Myanmar person had him transport the boxes to Bangkok and he did not know what were inside them. Officials believed an animal-smuggling gang was involved. (TNA)