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Teen Couple Arrested for Stealing Animals to Trade for Drugs

Teen Couple Arrested for Stealing Animals to Trade for Drugs

Matichon•General•18d ago

Reader Briefing

A teen couple was arrested in Bangkok for stealing exotic animals, including a squirrel named 'March' and a monitor lizard, to exchange for drugs.

  • •A young couple has been arrested for stealing various animals, including a squirrel named 'March' and a monitor lizard, to trade for illegal drugs.
  • •The arrests followed a tip-off about the couple using animals to acquire narcotics in the Don Mueang area.
  • •Authorities recovered a significant collection of stolen animals, ranging from rodents to snakes, from the suspects' residence and an apartment.

Overview

  • •On February 6, Police Commander Gen. Kittirat Phanpet and Deputy Commander Gen. Samran Nuamart ordered an investigation into drug dealing.
  • •Pol. Maj. Gen. Teeradet Thamsuthee, Deputy Commissioner of Provincial Police, led a team to track down and arrest the suspects.
  • •The suspects allegedly stole animals to obtain money for drug use.
  • •The suspects, identified as a 26-year-old male and a 27-year-old female, were arrested based on court warrants.
  • •Police discovered that the suspects committed three separate theft incidents.
  • •On March 20, 2026, the suspects allegedly stole 29 turtles and one cat from a residential area in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.
  • •On April 30, 2026, the suspects stole the squirrel 'March' from the Friends of the Zoo Foundation in Bang Khen.
  • •On May 1, 2026, the suspects stole a crocodile monitor lizard and a tiger salamander from Pata Pinklao Zoo.

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Key Quotes

Pol. Maj. Gen. Teeradet Thamsuthee
"This type of action is not only the theft of animals but also linked to drug-related behavior that poses a wide threat to society. Therefore, officials must accelerate the investigation of both animal theft networks and drug routes that may be connected, in order to prosecute according to the law."
การกระทำลักษณะนี้ไม่เพียงเป็นการลักทรัพย์สัตว์เท่านั้น แต่ยังมีความเชื่อมโยงไปถึงพฤติการณ์เกี่ยวข้องกับยาเสพติด ซึ่งเป็นภัยต่อสังคมในวงกว้าง เจ้าหน้าที่จึงต้องเร่งขยายผลทั้งเครือข่ายลักทรัพย์สัตว์และเส้นทางยาเสพติดที่อาจเชื่อมโยงกัน เพื่อดำเนินคดีตามกฎหมาย

Key Entities

Person

Pol. Maj. Gen. Teeradet Thamsuthee(พล.ต.ต.ธีรเดช ธรรมสุธีร์)ℹ️
Deputy Commissioner of Provincial Police (รอง ผบช.น.) who led the investigation into the animal theft and drug ring.
Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanpet(พล.ต.อ.กิตติ์รัฐ พันธุ์เพ็ชร์)
Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police (ผบ.ตร.) who issued orders for the investigation.
Pol. Gen. Samran Nuamart(พล.ต.อ.สำราญ นวลมา)
Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Operations Center for Narcotics Suppression (รอง ผบ.ตร./ผอ.ศอ.ปส.ตร.) who issued orders for the investigation.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Siam Boonsom(พล.ต.ท.สยาม บุญสม)
Commissioner of Provincial Police (ผบช.น.) who was informed of the detailed investigation findings.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Phallop Aeromla(พล.ต.ต.พัลลภ แอร่มหล้า)
Deputy Commissioner of Provincial Police (รอง ผบช.น.) responsible for narcotics suppression.
Ravin(นายไรวินทร์)
One of the two suspects arrested for animal theft and drug-related activities.
Warisara(น.ส.วริศรา)
One of the two suspects arrested for animal theft and drug-related activities.
March(น้องมาร์ช)
A squirrel, the signature animal of the Friends of the Zoo Foundation, stolen by the suspects.
Pol. Col. Athiwat Nuthaworn(พ.ต.อ.อธิวัฒน์ นุชถาวร)
Director of Bang Yi Khan Police Station (ผกก.สน.บางยี่ขัน) who, along with his team, gathered evidence to obtain arrest warrants.
Pol. Col. Anan Warsart(พ.ต.อ.อนันต์ วรสาตร์)
Director of Bang Khen Police Station (ผกก.สน.บางเขน) who, along with his team, gathered evidence to obtain arrest warrants.

Organization

Friends of the Zoo Foundation(สวนสัตว์เพื่อน เดรัจฉาน)
Zoo from which the squirrel 'March' was stolen.
Narcotics Suppression Operations Center, Provincial Police Bureau(ศอ.ปส.ตร-บช.น.)
Police unit involved in the investigation and arrest of the suspects.
Bang Yi Khan Police Station(สน.บางยี่ขัน)
Police station involved in the investigation and arrest of the suspects.
Bang Khen Police Station(สน.บางเขน)
Police station involved in the investigation and arrest of the suspects.
Criminal Court(ศาลอาญา)
Court that issued the arrest warrants for the suspects.
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Police Station(สภ.พระนครศรีอยุธยา)
Police station where a theft of turtles and a cat occurred.

Place

Pata Pinklao Zoo(สวนสัตว์พาต้า ปิ่นเกล้า)
Zoo from which a crocodile monitor lizard and a tiger salamander were stolen.
Bangkok-Metropolitan Region(กรุงเทพ-ปริมณฑล)ℹ️
The area where the suspects committed animal thefts.
Don Mueang(ดอนเมือง)ℹ️
A district in Bangkok where the suspects reside and were initially surveilled.

Animal

Crocodile Monitor Lizard(กิ้งก่าจระเข้)
An animal stolen by the suspects from Pata Pinklao Zoo.
Tiger Salamander(ซาลาแมนเดอร์ลายเสือ)
An animal stolen by the suspects from Pata Pinklao Zoo.