PHUKET: A sea gypsy allegedly smuggling rare fish to Bangkok was arrested on Thursday, police said at a media briefing last night.
Marine police intercepted 41-year-old Rawai resident, Boonsern Raknawa, as he loaded Styrofoam containers holding 232 fish onto a bus destined for Bangkok.
Cleaner wrasse, blennidae, and sleepy goby were found in plastic bags inside the containers.
Trading these protected species carries a maximum of one year jail time and/or a 100,000 baht fine.
The arrest follows a similar discovery by police on December 31 of 117 rare corals and 107 sleepy goby fish on another Phuket-Bangkok bus at the Tachatchai checkpoint.
The smuggling ring responsible is likely to make other attempts to transport fish to Bangkok in the future, according to the Director of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre, Thanet Mannoi.
''There's a demand for these fish from rich people in Bangkok,'' Khun Mannoi said.
Marine police intercepted 41-year-old Rawai resident, Boonsern Raknawa, as he loaded Styrofoam containers holding 232 fish onto a bus destined for Bangkok.
Cleaner wrasse, blennidae, and sleepy goby were found in plastic bags inside the containers.
Trading these protected species carries a maximum of one year jail time and/or a 100,000 baht fine.
The arrest follows a similar discovery by police on December 31 of 117 rare corals and 107 sleepy goby fish on another Phuket-Bangkok bus at the Tachatchai checkpoint.
The smuggling ring responsible is likely to make other attempts to transport fish to Bangkok in the future, according to the Director of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre, Thanet Mannoi.
''There's a demand for these fish from rich people in Bangkok,'' Khun Mannoi said.
