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600 live cobras sent illegally to restaurants in nearby countries as an "aphrodisiac delicacy" caught by police.

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WILDLIFE

600 smuggled cobras seized

13/11/2012

Customs officers have seized a shipment of 600 live cobras being smuggled through Thailand from Malaysia and believed destined for restaurants in nearby countries.

The director-general of the Excise Department, revealed the bust at a press conference on Tuesday.

He said the 600 snakes, with an estimated value of 500,000 baht, were seized in Pranburi district of Prachuap Khiri Khan province. It was believed that the shipment was being shipped to another country via southern Thailand.

Prior to the arrest, the authorities received a tip off that a large quantity of snakes had been smuggled into the country...

Customs officials set up a checkpoint and used X-ray machines to scan all suspicious vehicles. The cobras were detected hidden inside a black Nissan pickup truck.

The driver confessed that he was transporting the snakes from Malaysia to Nakhon Ratchasima province. He admitted having done this many times before and that he had received 10,000 baht for each delivery.

The Customs Department chief said that the cobras were likely on their way to another country where they are considered to be an aphrodisiac delicacy.

The driver has been charged with a violation of the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act. The seized cobras are now under the care of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

(Source: Bangkok Post, 600 smuggled cobras seized, 13/11/2012, link) 

 
Wildlife Trafficking Vocabulary

Cobra - a very poisonous snake found in Asia and Africa that stands up and spreads the skin out around its head when it is angry and about to strike (See Wikipedia)

wildlife - animals that do not live with humans, living by themselves in the jungle, desert, sea, etc (See Wikipedia)
domesticated animals - animals that live with humans (such as pets or farm animals)

traffic - the business of illegally buying and selling things such as drugs, weapons, wild animals or humans for slave labour
wildlife trafficking - the business of illegally buying and selling wild animals (See Wikipedia)
wildlife smuggling - same as "wildlife trafficking" (See Wikipedia)

smuggle - bring goods into a country secretly and illegally ลักลอบนำสินค้าเข้าหรือออก โดยผิดกฎหมาย, แอบถือไปด้วย
seize - take away something from someone by force, confiscate, ยึด, ถือสิทธิครอบครองเพราะอีกฝ่ายหนึ่งผิดสัญญา

600 smuggled cobras seized

customs - the government agency that controls goods being brought into or out of the country and collects taxes (duties, tariffs) on them กรมศุลกากร, หน่วยงานที่ทำหน้าที่เก็บภาษีจากสินค้านำเข้า และสินค้าส่งออก (See Wikipedia)

official - พนักงาน,  เจ้าหน้าที่
customs officials

officer - Same as "official"
customs officers

shipment - something that is being sent from one place to another place by truck, ship, airplane, etc การขนส่งสินค้า, การส่งสินค้า
seize shipment - to take away something that is being sent from one place to another place

destined - going to a place (not yet arrived)
destined for restaurants in nearby countries

Customs officers have seized a shipment of 600 live cobras being smuggled through Thailand from Malaysia and believed destined for restaurants in nearby countries.

revealed - made known or showed somthing that was surprising or that was previously secret เปิดเผย
a bust - when the police arrest people for breaking the law 

press - newspapers and magazines, and those parts of television and radio which broadcast news, or reporters and photographers who work for them สื่อมวลชน
press conference - a special public meeting to tell the media and press about something important

the police chief revealed the bust at a press conference 

authorities - government officials; the police or people in official organisations who have the legal power to make people obey laws or rules เจ้าหน้าที่ (ตำรวจ หรือผู้มีอำนาจ)

tip off - when the police are given information that helps them solve a crime and arrest people
receive a tip off

authorities received a tip off that a large quantity of snakes had been smuggled into the country.

checkpoint - a place where people are stopped and questioned and vehicles are examined, especially at a border between two countries ด่านตรวจ
set up a checkpoint

ray - a narrow beam of light, heat, etc. travelling in a straight line from its place of origin ลำแสง แสงอาทิตย์
X-ray - a special type of radiation used to look inside of things, for example look inside your body to help a doctor treating a disease or inside bags at an airport to make travel safe รังสีเอ็กซ
X-ray machines

suspicious - a feeling that something is wrong, dangerous or illegal น่าสงสัย
vehicles - machines with an engine used to carry people or goods from place to place ยานพาหนะ
suspicious vehicles

Customs officials set up a checkpoint and used X-ray machines to scan all suspicious vehicles

detected - noticed, discovered or found out จับได้ พบได้
hidden - something put in a place where people cannot see it ซ่อน, ที่ซ่อนไว้
The cobras were detected hidden inside a black Nissan pickup truck.

confess - confess to a crime, say that it is true that you committed a crime
transport - move something from one place to another place
The driver confessed that he was transporting the snakes from Malaysia to Nakhon Ratchasima province.

admit - to say tthat something is true (even when it is difficult to say this)
He admitted having done this many times before

delivery - something that was sent from one place to another place การส่ง
he had received 10,000 baht for each delivery

aphrodisiac - ซึ่งกระตุ้นความต้องการทางเพศ
delicacy - a special delicious food, gourmet dish อาหารราคาแพง,  อาหารอร่อย
aphrodisiac delicacy

X considered to be Y -  คิดว่าเป็น, พิจารณาว่าเป็น
the snakes were considered to be an aphrodisiac delicacy

violation - the breaking of a rule or a law  การฝ่าฝืน การฝ่าฝืนกฎหมาย การกระทำผิดกฎหมาย
the driver has been charged with a violation of the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act