Elephant smugglers caught at work in Phuket

PHUKET: Thalang police seized three elephants being illegally transported into Phuket this morning.

Nine people were arrested in the early-morning raid and the two trucks transporting the elephants were seized.

Suspects told police that a “Piang Sala-ngam” had sent his son-in-law Sa-ngad Padphai down with the trucks from an elephant camp in the northeastern province of Surin.

The trucks departed on June 13 and only arrived with their jumbo cargo today.

All nine arrested, including Mr Sa-ngad, have been charged with illegally smuggling the elephants into the province, in accordance with the Animal Epidemic Act of BE 2499.

They have also been charged with forging of official documents.

— Thawit Bilabdullar