Dozens of live monkeys found inside bags secured with string and plastic zip ties in Thailand

Police suspect it is a failed attempt to smuggle animals across border

Nearby residents found the primates in an abandoned building (Getty)

Several live monkeys were found stashed in small sacks in central Thailand’s Saraburi province, in what authorities believe was a failed attempt by wildlife traffickers to trade them illegally.

Local reports aired footage of police and wildlife protection officers investigating the green crates in which the monkeys were kept inside blue mesh bags. These bags were secured with string and plastic zip ties, and videos showed some monkeys trying to escape.

Some of them were weak from hunger and thirst, while one was dead, reported local news outlet Thaiger.

Police suspect the animals were kept in the building for storage by a trafficking gang that was preparing to smuggle them across the border.

Wirom Wanalee, a resident of the building, told the channel that she and her neighbours found nearly 100 monkeys inside the abandoned building after they heard their cries. They cut most of the bags open before calling the police.

Officials from the parks department have taken the rescued primates to a wildlife quarantine centre near Bangkok.

Authorities are still probing the matter and it is unclear if any arrests have been made.

This is not an isolated incident of poaching in Thailand. Earlier on Wednesday, authorities arrested three people as they recovered three baby leopards, along with pelts of tigers from Kanchanaburi province, reported Bangkok Post.

Thailand and the Southeast Asia, though home to some of the most diverse wildlife habitat, has suffered for years due to rampant trafficking of these animals.

While most of these activities were affected due to pandemic-related restrictions, they are now picking up again with the easing of border restrictions.

Additional reporting from wires