In Thailand, in the suitcases of two women found 109 live animals: porcupines, armadillos and snakes

In Thailand, at a Bangkok airport, two women were accused of smuggling after 109 live animals were found in their luggage.

This was reported by Thai authorities, writes the Bangkok Post.

The animals were found in suitcases after X-ray examination. Wildlife officers found two suitcases: two white porcupines, two armadillos, 35 turtles, 50 lizards and 20 snakes.

Thai authorities said the suitcases belonged to two Indian women, aged 38 and 24, who were to fly to the Indian city of Chennai. The women were charged with violating the 2019 Law on Wildlife Protection, the Animal Diseases Act 2015 and the Customs Act 2017.

Trafficking in animals through airports has long been a problem in the region. So, in 2019 in India detained a man who was flying from Bangkok — customs officers found in his luggage a month-old baby leopard.

A March 2022 report by the TRAFFIC Wildlife Monitoring Agency found that more than 70,000 local and exotic wildlife, including body parts or derivatives, were found at 18 Indian airports between 2011 and 2022.