Man Arrested for Possessing Sumatran Tiger Carcasses in Thailand
Police crack down on illegal wildlife trade in Nonthaburi district
A 60-year-old man named Charlie Meepra was arrested in the Bang Bua Thong district of Nonthaburi, Thailand, for possessing and attempting to sell carcasses of Sumatran tigers, according to the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED).
During a police search on Saturday night, led by NED deputy commander Pol Col Arun Wachirasrisukanya, officers discovered three complete tiger carcasses at a house in tambon Bang Rak Pattana.
The arrest was part of a broader operation involving Thailand's Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Wildlife Justice Commission from the Netherlands to combat wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia.
Charlie admitted to acquiring the tiger carcasses from Indonesia over 40 years ago and cited financial issues as his motive for selling them.
He initially offered to sell the carcasses to an undercover officer for 900,000 baht, but agreed to 200,000 baht.
However, he later canceled the sale out of suspicion.
Charlie faces charges for possessing and selling protected wildlife without permission, an offense punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a maximum fine of 40,000 baht.