Originally published on September 24, 2013
Thai police seized a large haul of smuggled ivory with an estimated value of 20 million baht (US$640,000) in Nakhon Ratchasima on Monday (September 23). Two men were arrested after they tried to bribe officers with one million baht in cash.
According to local media, a total of fifty nine tusks, mostly from African elephants were found hidden in a van parked outside a hotel in Muang district of Nakhon Ratchasima.
It was reported that a team of patrol officers from Pho Klarng police station noticed a white Toyota van without a license plate parked outside a resort hotel in tambon Khok Kruat as they carried out their regular duties.
After looking through the windows of the van, officers found the passenger seats had been removed and a large number of items covered with canvas were placed inside the vehicle.
Officers kept the van under surveillance until the driver returned. They then asked the driver to open the van for examination and the ivory was found.
It was reported that the driver offered to give the officers one million baht bribe. The officers pretended to accept the plan and waited with the driver in a hotel room until another man brought cash to to the hotel.
The van's driver, identified as Suchart Srikaew, aged 35 and another man, identified as Denchai Sriganin, aged 46 were arrested.
The seized ivory was reportedly to be delivered to Sakon Nakhon province, where they were to be smuggled to China. An investigation is said to be underway to locate other suspects involved in the smuggling and the sourcing of the ivory.
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