A Singapore businessman has been implicated in the importing of 14 white lions seized along with other protected animals during a recent raid in Bangkok.
A white lion is scanned to determine whether it has a microchip implanted beneath its skin. It is one of the 14 white lions that were confiscated during a June 10 raid on a two-rai plot in Klong Sam Wa district. Photo by Thanarak Khoonton.
After reviewing documents seized from suspects during the June 10 raid, police discovered the lions had been purchased by a Singapore national, Metropolitan Police Division 3 deputy chief Pol Col Ake Akasart said Wednesday.
The Singaporean man was not identified.
Police and other authorities would inspect microchips implanted in the white lions for further information, he said.
One of the suspects, Montri Boonprom-orn, claimed he was looking after the animals and was seeking a permit to relocate the lions from a house in Min Buri to a private zoo in Nakhon Ratchasima province.
He claimed he had import licences for the animals, most of which came from South Africa.
Pol Col Ake said police checked with the zoo in question and found that the facility was under construction.
No documents have been found yet to prove that the lions belong to the zoo, he said.
He said the police would pay a visit to the zoo this week.
Also seized in the raid were four otter civets, two hornbills, one loris and 23 meerkats.
Several domestic animals covered by the Wildlife Preservation Act were also seized.