The National Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED) has searched a house where rare birds were raised in Thailand's Nakhon Pathom province following the seizure of two red pandas worth millions of baht in Nonthaburi.
Deputy NED commander, Pol Col Arun Wachirasrisukanya, on Thursday said a court warrant was obtained to search the property in tambon Thap Luang of Muang district.
The search resulted from the seizure of two red pandas at another house belonging to Suphawat Weerawongwiwat in Nonthaburi.
In the Nakhon Pathom property, police discovered around 100 rare cockatoos and macaws. Officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) were brought in to determine the origin of the exotic birds and assist in the investigation.
The search was conducted in the presence of the housekeeper who was only identified as Mr Witoon.
He said he was hired by the house owner, a man named Ball, to take care of the property for him. He insisted the birds were legal and that Mr Ball would present police with the permits later.
Police said Mr Witoon admitted the two red pandas seized from the Nonthaburi house came from the Nakhon Pathom property. The animals were sold to the Nonthaburi house owner for 4.3 million baht.
The police added the DNP will be verifying all related documents collected in evidence.
Red pandas are native to areas that include northern Nepal, Bhutan, India, Myanmar and southwestern parts of China. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them as endangered, with fewer than 10,000 remaining in the wild.
Police from the National Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED) search a house where rare birds were raised in Nakhon Pathom. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)