Smugglers caught hiding 50 cm Komodo dragon in underwear

Contraband ring caught trafficking over 1,800 unique animals value 1.9 billion received over two years

By KTimes

Customs authorities apprehended a smuggling ring trying to secretly deliver endangered unique species, together with a Komodo dragon, into Korea. The group had wrapped a younger Komodo dragon, measuring about 50 centimeters, in material and hid it inside underwear. Moreover, child snakes have been curled up and hidden inside cigarette bins.

Incheon Airport Customs introduced, Thursday, that 14 people, together with suspects recognized as A and B, have been referred to prosecutors with out detention for violating customs legal guidelines.

Since July 2022, these suspects are alleged to have smuggled 1,865 unique animals, valued at roughly 1.9 billion received ($1.5 million), from international locations like Thailand and Indonesia.

The smuggled species included lizards, turtles, snakes, scorpions, and bugs, a few of that are protected below the Conference on Worldwide Commerce in Endangered Species (CITES). Among the many animals have been Komodo dragons, Burmese star tortoises, emerald tree boas, and Yangtze alligators — uncommon species valued at thousands and thousands to tens of thousands and thousands of received every.

Incheon Airport Customs famous this was the primary seizure of a Komodo dragon, which may develop to over three meters as an grownup, being smuggled into Korea. The first suspects recruited acquaintances as couriers, providing free abroad journeys in alternate.

The smugglers used varied containers, together with underwear, immediate noodle cups, and cigarette packs, to hide the animals and evade detection. The Komodo dragon was smuggled from Thailand by wrapping a 50-60 centimeter juvenile in material and hiding it in underwear to bypass native inspections.

The smuggled animals have been offered on-line or handed over to specialised reptile sellers for important revenue. For instance, a Burmese star tortoise bought in Thailand for about 300,000 received was resold in Korea for 4 million received, yielding a twelvefold revenue.

One of many suspects, B, who operates an aquarium, smuggled three Komodo dragons with the intent of displaying them and even solid import paperwork to use for authorized import approval from the Ministry of Surroundings. This utility was subsequently denied.

An Incheon Airport Customs official stated, “The stay animals seized, together with two Komodo dragons, have been transferred to the Nationwide Institute of Ecology for cover. Smuggling unique species disrupts ecosystems and poses a menace to public security. We plan to accentuate border controls to stop such severe crimes.”

This text from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Occasions, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Occasions.