Baby tiger found stuffed in bag at Thai airport
BANGKOK (AP) - She had a suitcase full of stuffed tigers – and one real one.
Authorities say a Thai woman has been arrested after a baby tiger cub that had been drugged and hidden among stuffed toy tigers was found in her luggage.
Police say the woman, flying from Bangkok to Iran, had checked-in for her flight but her oversized bag was sent for an x-ray which showed what appeared to be a live animal inside.
Police say the woman was arrested before boarding her Sunday flight and the cub was sent to a wildlife conservation center where it is recovering from its trip.
The woman denied the luggage with the cub belonged to her and said another passenger had asked her to carry it.
The cub could have fetched about $3,200 on the black market in Iran, where it is popular to have exotic pets.
Wildlife experts say the number of tigers in Asia have plummeted over the years due mainly to habitat loss and poachers.
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