A man accused of selling macaques on Facebook was arrested with one animal seized in Na Yong district of Trang on Wednesday.
Officers from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division police apprehended Wutthichai Tunrat, 26, in a sting operation. One live macaque was found inside a cage in his pickup truck.
He was charged with trading protected wildlife without permission and illegal possession of wild animals.
The arrest followed a complaint that macaques were being sold on the “Khon Rak Ling Kang Khuen Maphrao” (Macaques climing coconut tree lovers) Facebook page. The animals were sold for 2,500 baht each.
A police officer posing as a customer posted a message asking to buy one macaque. When Mr Wutthichai arrived at the arranged meeting place on Na Yong-Yan Ta Khao Road to deliver the animal, police showed up to arrest him.
During questioning, the suspect confessed to having possessed the animal but failed to produce the required paperwork. He later claimed that he found the macaque in a forest and captured it to sell for 2,500 baht.
The arresting team handed him over to officers at the Na Yong police station for legal action.
A macaque is seized from the suspect in Trang. (Photo supplied/Wongsathorn Pungsriwanich)