Police raid 3 houses linked to wildlife smuggling

Police raid 3 houses linked to wildlife smuggling

Police raided three houses in Suphan Buri on Thursday after 88 live and 14 dead macaques destined to go on the menus in restaurants abroad were found on a smuggler's pickup truck.

Investigators from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED), armed with warrants from Suphan Buri Provincial Court, searched three houses in Doembang Nangbuat district.

It was part of an extended investigation into transnational wildlife smuggling after 102 macaques were found covered on the back of a truck, NED commander Pol Maj Gen Pithak Uthaitham said yesterday.

Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police and officers from the Sri Maha Phot station in Prachin Buri rescued 88 live macaques during an inspection of a pickup truck in Sri Maha Phot district on May 27.

When police looked under the cover they were shocked to find a cargo of dead and dying macaques stuffed into bags and cramped cages. There were 88 live monkeys and 14 dead ones.

Police arrested the driver, Panupong Jusing, 25.

Mr Panupong reportedly told police he was being paid 3,000 baht to transport the animals from Phichit to the border province of Sa Kaeo.

During the searches in Suphan Buri on Thursday, NED officers seized vehicle documents from the three houses, all in tambon Bokrut. Other evidence seized included dashcams, mobile phones and nylon bags, Pol Maj Gen Pithak said.

The owners of the three houses were not detained. The NED had earlier learned that a married couple was allegedly involved in the smuggling.

The couple reported to Sri Maha Phot police on June 5, and were charged and released on 100,000-baht bail each.

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