MUKDAHARN, Feb 18 (TNA) – Authorities seized 1,800 snakes in Ban Bang Sai Noi village of Bang Sai Noi sub-district in Wan Yai district of the northeastern province of Mukdaharn before they were smuggled out of the country.
Local officials had been tipped off the smuggling attempt and waited for smugglers in the area.
A pickup truck with license plate number 1 Thor Bor 7809 registered in Bangkok later ran on an alley and stopped about 30 meters from the Mekong River. About five men then started to carry white boxes to the river bank.
As officials showed up, the men fled the scene in the dark and heavy rain. Other men waiting on a motored boat also left for the Lao bank.
In the 182 plastic boxes, officials found many kinds of snakes including cobras and rat snakes as well as newly laid snake eggs.
Officials believed the snakes would have been smuggled through Laos to Vietnam and China where their meat would be consumed and skin turned into leather bags. The seized snakes would be taken to the Chulaphorn Wildlife Captive Breeding Center in Si Sa Ket province. (TNA)
