Bangkok, Thailand - Thai authorities arrested a teenager at a Bangkok airport for allegedly smuggling 30 protected tortoises, wildlife officials said Wednesday. The animals were taped under the teen's clothing and are reportedly worth about $9,000.
Thailand is a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers selling prized endangered animals on the lucrative black market in Asia.
Authorities became suspicious of the 19-year-old Taiwanese woman's unusual movements as she prepared to board a flight to Taipei early Tuesday, Thailand's wildlife conservation department said in a statement.
A search at Suvarnabhumi airport's departure terminal revealed a 30 Indian star tortoises strapped to the woman's body. The department said that 29 were alive and one was dead.
"The suspect had used adhesive tape to immobilise the animals, packed them into cloth bags and attached them to her body to evade detection," they added.
The Thai customs department said the tortoises – protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) – go for a high price on the black market. The authorities estimate the total value at around $9,000.
The woman was charged with illegally transporting animals and evading customs controls.
Authorities said they were investigating whether she was part of a wider smuggling network.
Indian star tortoises are classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (ICUN), which says they have been targeted to meet international demand for use as "exotic pets".
The surviving tortoises were transferred to wildlife conservation officials for care and to serve as evidence.