Authorities: Two Men in Wildlife Smuggling Ring Caught with 81 Monkeys and Meth

Two men who allegedly admitted to being part of an international wildlife smuggling ring were caught with 81 monkeys stuffed in bags and methamphetamine in Thailand, according to authorities. 

Thai rangers stopped the pair in a vehicle on Friday in the Sa Kaeo Province near the country’s border with Cambodia, Fox News reported. During the interaction, authorities reportedly found the drugs and monkeys in blue net bags.

According to the 12th Ranger Forces Regiment, the two men allegedly admitted to being part of a trafficking ring moving macaques from Thailand to Cambodia, according to the report.

Authorities seized the monkeys and the drugs. Officials did not disclose the amount of drugs seized.

“Thailand is a major transit point for wildlife smugglers, who often sell endangered animals for markets in China and parts of Southeast Asia,” according to the report. “In May 2025, a man was arrested in Thailand on suspicion of smuggling two baby orangutans into the country, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said at the time.”