Discovered inside checked luggage of six Indian nationals who were attempting to smuggle live animals out of Thailand, including the red panda and 86 other animals such as snakes, parrots and monitor lizards.
Red panda found in luggage at Bangkok airport
Six Indian nationals arrested for animal smuggling
Red panda found in luggage at Bangkok airport. The red panda was discovered inside checked luggage of six Indian nationals who were arrested for attempting to smuggle live animals out of Thailand, including the red panda and 86 other animals such as snakes, parrots and monitor lizards.
Red panda found alongside 86 other animals in luggage at Thai airport
Endangered red panda discovered among smuggled animals
Thailand's Customs Department arrested six Indian nationals for trying to smuggle live animals out of the country.
Cotton-top tamarin monkey, fishing cat and Sulawesi bear cuscus also found in luggage.
Lizards, snakes, birds, squirrels and bats were among the animals discovered.
Animals stowed in wicker baskets, plastic tubs and fabric bags inside large wheeled suitcases intended for an airplane.
Suspects violated several laws including CITES which regulates international trade of wild species of plants and animals.
Individuals also accused of attempting to export live animals without declaring them and violating animal disease control laws.
2018 report by TRAFFIC found that there were 1,346 seizures of wildlife and wildlife products in the air transport sector between 2009 and 2016.
Thailand reported the second highest number of these incidents in the world.
Kanitha Krishnasamy, director of TRAFFIC's Southeast Asia office said that there is a very active and persistent level of trafficking of live animals between Southeast Asia and South Asia.
This includes a string of cases involving live wild animal smuggling via air between Thailand and India in recent years with busts taking place in both countries since early 2022.
Increase in attempted wildlife trafficking into India is due to growing fad for exotic pets including kangaroos, cuscus and red pandas.
Robust understanding of contemporary pet market needed to guide future interventions including on strengthened regulation and reducing demand.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title of the article implies that a red panda was found alongside other animals in luggage at Suvarnabhumi Airport. However, this is not entirely accurate as it only mentions one animal and does not provide any context about how many animals were actually found or what they were doing there.
The title of the article implies that a red panda was found alongside other animals in luggage at Suvarnabhumi Airport. However, this is not entirely accurate as it only mentions one animal and does not provide any context about how many animals were actually found or what they were doing there.
The article states that six Indian nationals have been arrested for trying to smuggle live animals out of the country. It fails to mention who else was involved in this operation, which could be other individuals or organizations.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the individuals suspected of smuggling the animals violated several laws without providing any evidence or citation for this claim. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by suggesting that there are only two options: either support wildlife trafficking or not support it, when in reality there may be other solutions to address this issue. The article also contains inflammatory rhetoric by stating that Thailand is reporting the second highest number of wildlife seizures in the world without providing any context for how this statistic was obtained.
The individuals suspected of smuggling the animals violated several laws
There are only two options: either support wildlife trafficking or not support it
Thailand is reporting the second highest number of wildlife seizures in the world
Bias
(85%)
The article is biased towards the negative impact of wildlife trafficking and its consequences. The author uses language that dehumanizes the smugglers by referring to them as 'suspected' rather than innocent until proven guilty. They also use examples such as the red panda being found alongside 86 other animals, which is meant to emphasize the severity of the situation and make it seem like a large-scale operation. The author also uses quotes from TRAFFIC that are meant to support their argument about wildlife trafficking being a growing problem in Southeast Asia and South Asia.
According to the Thai Customs Department, the individuals suspected of smuggling the animals violated several laws, including CITES and animal disease control laws
The red panda was one of 87 animals found in the luggage of six Indian nationals who have been arrested for trying to smuggle live animals out of the country
Red panda found alongside 86 other animals in luggage at Thai airport
Endangered red panda discovered among smuggled animals
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that a red panda was found in the luggage of smuggling suspects at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on Monday. However, there is no evidence to support this claim as no source or citation has been provided for it.
The article states that a red panda was found in the luggage of smuggling suspects at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on Monday. However, there is no evidence to support this claim as no source or citation has been provided for it.
Fallacies
(85%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(75%)
The article is biased towards the negative impact of wildlife trafficking and illegal activities. The author uses language that dehumanizes smugglers by referring to them as 'attempted smuggling' and portrays their actions as a threat to society. Additionally, the use of phrases such as 'high demand for animal products in countries including China, Myanmar and Thailand' implies that these countries are responsible for the illegal wildlife trade.
Thai customs officials rescued a red panda, snakes, monkeys and chameleons from checked-in luggage at the country’s main airport this week after arresting six Indian nationals for attempted smuggling.
Thai customs officials have arrested six Indians for attempting to smuggle a red panda and 86 other animals out of the kingdom.
The illicit menagerie was discovered hidden in the suspects' checked luggage at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport as they tried to fly to Mumbai.
Thailand is a major transit hub for smugglers in the illicit wildlife trafficking trade, who often sell the animals in China and Vietnam, although recent years have seen an uptick in trafficking to India.
The red panda is an endangered species.
Accuracy
Thailand is a major transit hub for smugglers in the illicit wildlife trafficking trade.
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Thailand is a major transit hub for smugglers in the illicit wildlife trafficking trade without providing any evidence to support this claim. Secondly, the author uses sensationalist language such as 'illicit menagerie' and 'endangered species' to create an emotional response from readers without providing any context or information about the red panda or its status. Thirdly, the article quotes a Customs Department statement that says 87 animals were found in the luggage of six Indian nationals but does not provide any details on how these animals were obtained and transported to Thailand. This lack of transparency raises questions about whether this is an isolated incident or part of a larger operation.
The red panda, an endangered species, was found hidden inside luggage at Suvarnabhumi Airport
Thailand is a major transit hub for smugglers in the illicit wildlife trafficking trade
Fallacies
(85%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(85%)
The article contains examples of monetary bias and religious bias. The author mentions the illicit wildlife trafficking trade as a major problem that has flourished into the fourth biggest illegal trade on the planet, worth an estimated $100 to $150 billion per year. This implies that there is significant financial gain for those involved in this crime, which could be seen as promoting or justifying their actions.
Thai Customs Department/Handout/REUTERS Photos released by the department showed the red panda an endangered species peeking out of a wicker basket, and a parrot shut in a plastic container with air holes crudely drilled in the lid. More plastic tubs held lizards, while snakes were seen coiled together in cloth bags.
The illicit menagerie was discovered hidden in the suspects' checked luggage at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport as they tried to fly to Mumbai.
. The red panda was found in luggage at Bangkok's international airport.
Six Indian nationals were arrested for attempting to smuggle the red panda and other animals out of Thailand.
. Snakes, parrots, and monitor lizards were among the animals seized by Thai customs officials.
Accuracy
. Six Indian nationals were arrested for attempting to smuggle the red panda and other animals out of Thailand.
Deception
(80%)
The article is deceptive because it does not provide any evidence or sources for the claim that India has become a growing market for wildlife smuggling. This statement is vague and unsubstantiated, which could be an attempt to manipulate the reader's emotions or create a false impression of the situation in India. The article also omits any information about how it obtained its photos or if they are authentic representations of the animals involved.
The statement 'India has become a growing market for wildlife smuggling' is deceptive because there is no citation or link to a reliable source that supports this claim. The article does not explain how it verified this information or what data it used to make such an assertion.
Fallacies
(85%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(0%)
The article is biased towards the negative actions of the suspects. The title mentions that they were arrested for attempting to smuggle animals out of Thailand which implies that it's illegal and wrong. The body also describes how these animals are usually sold in China and Vietnam but India has become a growing market, implying that there is something bad about this.
Six Indian nationals have been arrested at Bangkok's international airport for attempting to smuggle a red panda and dozens of other animals out of the country
Snakes, parrots and monitor lizards were among 87 animals seized at Suvarnabhumi Airport, officials said.
Thai Customs Department
Thailand is a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers.
The suspects face a maximum of 10 years behind bars.
. The red panda was among 87 animals found in checked luggage by Thai customs agents.
Six Indian nationals -- five men and one woman -- have been arrested on suspicion of wildlife smuggling and breaches of customs legislations, officials say.
Thailand is home to several rare species of mammals, flora and fauna. But its rich biodiversity has also made it a major hub for illicit wildlife trafficking and trade.
INTERPOL says wildlife crime has become one of the world's largest and most profitable crime sectors. Over a decade of INTERPOL engagement, wildlife crime has become one of the world's largest criminal activities.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that the red panda was among 87 animals found in checked luggage by Thai customs agents at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. However, this statement is misleading because it implies that all of these animals were discovered together when they were actually found separately over a period of time. Secondly, the article uses sensationalist language such as
Thailand Customs Department released an image of a red panda that was confiscated after arresting six Indian wildlife smugglers at the Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The red panda was among 87 animals seized by Thai customs agents after they were discovered in checked luggage at Thailand's main international airport.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. Firstly, the author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the animals were discovered in checked luggage at Thailand's main international airport without providing any evidence of this claim. Secondly, there is a dichotomous depiction of wildlife smuggling as being both illegal and profitable which can be seen when it states 'wildlife crime has become one of the world's largest and most profitable crime sectors'. Lastly, the author uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating that Thailand Customs Department released an image of a red panda that was confiscated after arresting six Indian wildlife smugglers at the Suvarnabhumi Airport. This statement is not factual as it does not provide any evidence to support this claim.
The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the animals were discovered in checked luggage at Thailand's main international airport without providing any evidence of this claim.
