Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and wildlife officials have broken up a suspected cross-border ivory trafficking network after raids in seven provinces uncovered African ivory and wildlife remains worth nearly 10 million baht.
The operation was carried out on May 7 by the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division (NED) under the CIB, together with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
Officers searched 11 locations in Samut Sakhon, Uthai Thani, Kamphaeng Phet, Chumphon, Songkhla, Chonburi and Chanthaburi as part of a crackdown on a suspected international wildlife-remains trafficking network. Nine suspects were arrested and reportedly confessed to the charges.
Authorities seized 13 categories of evidence with a combined value of around 9.9 million baht. The haul included around 250 kilogrammes of elephant ivory in tusk sections and fragments, valued at 7.5 million baht, as well as 160 ivory-handled knives worth around 2.4 million baht.
Other seized items included prayer beads, amulet necklaces, jewellery, cutting and grinding machines, scales, the remains of a hawksbill turtle and stingray tail parts.
