Men Arrested in International Smuggling of Exotic Monkeys and Drugs
An Indian man was caught smuggling protected monkeys from Bangkok, and another was arrested in Mumbai with drugs worth Rs. 2.88 crore.
Wildlife smuggling is a serious global crime, and a recent case at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok has once again highlighted the problem.
On 3 February 2025, a 28-year-old Indian traveller, Mr Karthick, was stopped while preparing to board Thai Airways flight TG351 from Bangkok to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. During a late-night inspection at the airport’s Wildlife Checkpoint, customs officers found two live monkeys hidden inside his luggage.
The animals were later identified by Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation as Indochinese lutungs, a protected species found in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam. Young lutungs are bright orange in colour, while adults turn grey or black. The two monkeys were estimated to be worth nearly 100,000 baht, which is around ?2.9 lakh.
The monkeys were rescued safely and sent for medical examination. Mr Karthick was arrested under Thai wildlife and customs laws for attempting to smuggle protected animals out of the country.
Wildlife smuggling is a large illegal business. Many exotic animals are sold in the illegal pet trade, as some people want rare animals as a status symbol. Certain species also have high value in the black market. In some places, animal parts are used in traditional medicine or sold as luxury items, which increases illegal hunting and cross-border smuggling.
Just a few days later, on 8 February 2025, another smuggling case came to light at Mumbai airport. A 46-year-old man from Dahisar, identified as N. Dhakan, was stopped by customs officers after they noticed suspicious behaviour.
During checking, officers found 30 vacuum-sealed packets hidden inside boxes labelled as “dietary supplements” in his trolley bag. The substance weighed 2,840 grams and was identified as hydroponic weed, a high-quality form of cannabis, valued at around ?2.88 crore. Dhakan told officials that a friend had promised him ?30,000 for travelling to Bangkok, but he was arrested for drug smuggling.
Both cases show how airports must remain alert at all times. Whether it is wildlife trafficking or drug smuggling, criminals continue to use new methods, and authorities are working to stop such illegal activities and protect people, animals and the law.
