Wildlife crime kingpin of the Bach syndicate finally arrested in Thailand

Another big success in Thailand.
Head of the wildlife trafficking Bach syndicate finally arrested after the December 12th operation.
His downfall follows the December 12th arrest at the Bangkok’s airport of the Thai officer Nikorn Wongprachan and of a member of the Bach family, with the assistance of the Elephant Action League.

Boonchai Bach, 40, a Vietnamese national with Thai citizenship, was arrested on Friday evening over the smuggling of 14 rhino horns worth around $1 million from Africa to Thailand.
The horns were smuggled into Thailand by a Chinese man who was arrested a day before, on arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa. Read here our December 12th press release.

The police sting led to Boonchai, who financed a criminal network that has been investigated also by the NGO Freeland.
“This is a major smuggling syndicate and Boonchai is a ringleader,” General Chalermkiat Srivorakan, deputy national police chief, told reporters Saturday after the suspect arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport ahead of his remand.
The Bach are believed to work alongside Vixay Keosavang, a Laotian dubbed “the Pablo Escobar of animal trafficking”, who run a major wildlife trafficking ring from Laos.
(AFP Photo/Roberto SCHMIDT)