Smuggling more exotic valuable animals have grown recently though out the last year. Cases such as a woman's attempt to smuggle a drugged tiger cub with other stuffed toys. An Asian women from Bangkok headed to Iran tried smuggling this cub through an airline flight, but when the bag went through the x-ray they identified this tiger. She sedated the tiger before the flight to keep it under control and not move around.
The tiger was estimated to be only about two months old. Despite her claiming that the bag was not hers she was arrested and could end up facing up to four years in prison. The news said if she was successful the tiger could have been sold for 100,000 baht, or $3,200 in American dollars.
The Consumerist said "there were other cases such as a man trying to smuggle 18 monkeys under his shirt at a Mexican airport". Mental Floss reported in January that a German citizen was caught in New Zealand with 44 endangered skinks and geckos stuffed into his underwear. The geckos may have netted $2,800 each to European collectors. It is estimated that animal smugglers have made more than $20 billion.
The United States should have more security also looking for smugglers. Unlike the dug business which have way more officers and way more attention people this these can get away easy. There are fewer than 400 law enforcement agents taking care of this problem in the US. The Drug Enforcement Agency have over 11,000 members and growing which leaves a big gap and difference to the on growing animal smuggler officers. I think by having more concern and more attention to this problem we can make a drastic change to the safety to our airlines.
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