Thai Rangers Arrest Two for Smuggling 81 Macaques, Meth

Thai rangers arrested two men on Friday in Sa Kaeo province near Thailand's border with Cambodia after stopping their vehicle and discovering 81 macaques stuffed into blue net bags along with methamphetamine, authorities said.

The interception occurred around 3:20 p.m. in Aranyaprathet district, according to the 12th Ranger Forces Regiment, which patrols the area. During the inspection, rangers found the monkeys crammed into the bags and seized an unspecified quantity of methamphetamine in pill and crystal forms. The suspects, whose ages and nationalities were not immediately released, admitted during questioning to participating in a cross-border trafficking ring that moves macaques from Thailand into Cambodia, the regiment stated in a Facebook post.

Authorities took custody of the animals and drugs, and troops are coordinating with police to file charges under Thailand's wildlife protection and narcotics laws. The macaques, a type of primate often targeted for the pet trade and research markets, were being transported as part of what officials described as an international smuggling operation.

Thailand serves as a key transit hub for wildlife traffickers, who frequently route...