Officials on Sunday morning impounded 225 Hamilton turtles found in four suitcases at a conveyor belt of the international arrivals lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the airport's customs bureau chief Uaychai Kulthipmontree said at a press conference.
Mr Uaychai said the four suitcases were spotted at conveyor belt No 18 by customs and wildlife smuggling suppression officials who took them away for examination after nobody showed up to claim them.
The officials found in the suitcases 225 Hamilton or black pond turtles worth about one million baht.
The turtles are listed as protected wildlife and permission from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation is required to import them into the country.
The animals were impounded for further legal proceedings.
Photos by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan
