• Taiwanese woman detained at Bangkok airport over alleged attempt to smuggle 30 tortoises strapped to her body
• Illegally traded reptiles, valued at around $9,000 on the black market, seized by authorities

Thai authorities have arrested a woman at Bangkok airport on suspicion of trying to smuggle 30 protected tortoises hidden against her body, in a case linked to the growing illegal wildlife trade across Asia.

Wildlife officials in Thailand said the suspect, a 19-year-old Taiwanese national, drew attention due to unusual behaviour before boarding a flight bound for Taipei.

During a search at Suvarnabhumi Airport, officers discovered the animals—29 alive and one dead—concealed on her body using adhesive tape and placed inside cloth bags to avoid detection.

The smuggled tortoises, identified as Indian star tortoises, are listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are highly sought after in the exotic pet market, with an estimated black-market value of about $9,000.

Thailand is widely regarded as a key transit hub for wildlife traffickers, who exploit the country’s geographic position to move protected species into illegal markets across Asia.

The suspect has been charged with wildlife smuggling and customs violations, while investigators are examining whether she is part of a wider trafficking network.

The surviving tortoises have been transferred to wildlife authorities for care and are also being used as evidence in the ongoing investigation.