Police busted a tiger skin business amid a crackdown on wildlife traffickers in Thailand.

The Central Investigation Bureau raided the home of vendor Chalee Meephra, 60, in Nonthaburi province, where he was selling three complete tiger skins from Indonesia on November 23.

They seized the three Sumatran tiger pelts worth 200,000 baht (4,600 GBP) each.

Police Major General Watcharin Phusit, commander of the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, said: 'We handed the suspect and seized items over to Bang Bua Thong Police Station for further legal action. He will be charged with possessing and selling the carcass of a protected animal without permission.'

Authorities had earlier launched a sting operation and arranged to meet up with Chalee but the cautious local halted the sale. They raided his home after obtaining a search warrant from the court.

Chalee claimed he had bought the tiger skins in Indonesia 40 years ago. He said he was forced to sell them due to financial difficulties.

His arrest comes four days after police detained animal skin product seller Chit Pasutangkura, 35, at his shop in Nakhon Sawan province. Officials had seized three large tiger skins, 44 tiger skin pelts, 18 tiger skin bags, four snake-skin bags, 22 bear-claw keychains, nine tiger skin belts, and sewing equipment from the gruesome workshop.

Thailand is a major trafficking hub and market for illegal wildlife products due to its central location in Southeast Asia. Smugglers often target protected species such as tigers, turtles, and birds, to supply demand for exotic pets, traditional medicine, and luxury goods.


(1 GBP = 43.62 THB)