Thai national who tried to smuggle parrot eggs through OR Tambo gets hefty sentence

In August, a 50-year-old man from Thailand was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg for attempting to smuggle 50 protected parrot eggs out of South Africa.

The man was convicted and sentenced in the Kempton Park Regional Court this week. It followed a joint operation by the Green Scorpions and police.

Under a plea agreement, he was sentenced to a R500 000 fine or five years’ imprisonment.

The sentence was suspended for five years. This is subject to R300 000 being paid to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

The money will contribute towards the care of animals seized during law enforcement operations.

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), David Maynier, welcomed the conviction.

“This case is an example of what can be achieved with cooperation and coordination across law enforcement agencies,” he said.

Parrot eggs rescued after smuggling attempt

The suspect was arrested at OR Tambo airport in August this year after attempting to smuggle 50 endangered parrot eggs out of the country.

Customs officials discovered the eggs concealed inside a homemade incubator bag carried as hand luggage.

The arrest followed an intelligence-driven operation involving the DFFE, SAPS Crime Intelligence and Border Police.

SANBI staff subsequently stepped in to care for the seized eggs. Despite the conditions in which they were transported, many successfully hatched. The chicks received intensive veterinary and husbandry care to maximise their chances of survival.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the eggs may belong to parrot species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Maynier said the institute’s expertise had also been vital in securing the conviction.

“The Court’s ruling that funds must be paid to SANBI is welcomed, and the DFFE will be pursuing similar requests in other cases where wildlife is confiscated,” he added.

Arrest warrant issued in separate case

The case came just weeks after another Thai national was arrested at the same airport in connection with an even larger suspected parrot egg smuggling operation.

In July, a 23-year-old Thai national was detained at OR Tambo after authorities discovered 418 parrot eggs in his possession.

The two incidents have heightened concerns about South Africa’s role in international wildlife trafficking.

“These arrests highlight the growing sophistication of transnational wildlife trafficking networks,” the environment ministry said.

According to the DFFE, the Green Scorpions will continue the investigation into the wider trafficking network with the support of other countries and international organisations.