A flight connecting Bangkok has Taiwan took a turn unusual when a rat and an otter smuggled on board by a passenger wandered around the cabin.
Wednesday’s flight on a low-cost flight VietJet Air turned into panic when flight attendants and passengers saw on the ground an albino rat and an otter nearly 30 cm long which had escaped from a bag. A subsequent police search also revealed among the luggage a box containing 28 live turtlesA snakea marmottwo otters and two other rodents of unknown species landing in Taipei.
It’s surprising to think that the passengers thought they could carry so many live animals on the same flight, but it turns out they were almost arrested after their luggage was flagged for additional checks at Bangkok airport . Unfortunately, after flagging the bag during a routine x-ray check, a security guard from Suvarnabhumi Airport failed to open the bag and the passengers were allowed to board the flight. Bangkok Airport announced that it had suspended the employee who failed to check the contents of the suspicious baggage.
After all the mid-flight commotion, the cabin crew called the owners to come forward and after some initial reluctance, a woman admitted to being responsible. Upon his arrival in Taiwan, his luggage were checked and numerous other animals were discovered in his checked baggage. It is unclear what the smugglers intended to do with the animals, but Hawaiian authorities say the majority will have to be euthanized to comply with a strict quarantine.
“After viewing the surveillance images, we discovered that the traffickers were two foreigners whose luggage passed through the X-ray scanner,” Suvarnabhumi airport manager said in a statement. They face a fine of up to $31,000, as provided for in the law on the prevention and control of animal infectious diseases.
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