[ad_1]
BANGKOK, Thailand – Six purebred cats valued at thousands of dollars were seized in a raid by the Thai drug ring on suspicion that they were being used to launder money, police said Tuesday as animal rights activists protested. against a plan to auction them off.
The cats, including five Scottish Fold and one Bengal, were seized on Monday following a raid on a house in Rayong province of Thailand that belonged to a woman suspected of being involved in drug trafficking.
The woman was identified as one of three in a network that authorities had sought to arrest since January, police said, adding that she had fled before they arrived.
Police seized the house, land, a car and the six cats on suspicion of being assets used to launder money. As living assets, the cats would enter a public auction while the case was ongoing, police said.
“The owner (of the cat) assisted in the drug trafficking operation. We have an arrest warrant for her,” Pornchai Charoenwong, deputy commissioner of the Narcotics Enforcement Office, told Reuters.
“The six foreign breed cats are valued at tens of thousands of baht (thousands of dollars), which is considered money laundering.”
Pornchai added that if the woman presents proof that she was not involved in the drug ring, the cats and other property would be returned to her, or the auction money would be refunded.
The case has sparked a debate on social media in Thailand about whether the confiscated pets should be auctioned.
Animal welfare groups also urged authorities to suspend the auction plan and to hand over the cats so they can find them a loving home.
“Pet stores will be lining up to buy them, but they shouldn’t have to be resold. They are pets. They are living things,” Roger Lohanan, secretary general of the Thai Association of Animal Guardians, told Reuters.
“We must prioritize animal welfare before filling state pockets.” – Reuters
