Nakhon Pathom —
On December 25th, 2024, Pol. Col. Apisan Chairat, the Superintendent of the 5th Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division (NRECD), led a raid on a company in Nakhon Pathom after discovering documents linked to the alleged illegal import of a gorilla.
The investigation followed reports from Istanbul Airport, Türkiye, where customs officials seized a baby gorilla hidden in a wooden crate originating from Nigeria and bound for Thailand.
The shipment, falsely declared as 50 rabbits, lacked the necessary CITES permit (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Thai authorities collaborated with Turkish customs and wildlife protection agencies to trace the shipment to a private company in Nakhon Pathom.
The company owner claimed to be a licensed importer and exporter of animals with a storefront at Chatuchak Market.
They alleged a foreign client requested to import rabbits and claimed they had no idea about a gorilla, but officials remain skeptical and are verifying the claim. A raid uncovered numerous animals, including cockatoos, whose ownership is under review for compliance.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
