A Taiwanese woman was arrested at Bangkok airport for attempting to smuggle 30 protected turtles, concealed under her clothing, Thai wildlife protection services announced.

Authorities' suspicions were aroused by the unusual movements of the 19-year-old woman, who was preparing to board a flight to Taipei early Tuesday morning, the Thai Department of Wildlife Conservation said in a statement Wednesday.

A search of the departures terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok uncovered Indian star tortoises attached to his body, the department said.

Of these turtles, 29 were alive and one was dead.

"The suspect had used adhesive tape to immobilize the animals, placed them in cloth bags and attached them to her body to evade detection," authorities added.

According to Thai customs, these turtles, protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), fetch high prices on the black market.

They estimated the total value of the seized turtles at approximately $9,000.

The young woman was charged with illegally transporting animals and customs fraud. Authorities indicated that an investigation was underway to determine if she was part of a larger smuggling network.

Indian radiated tortoises are classified as a "vulnerable" species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which points out that they are particularly targeted to meet international demand as "exotic pets".

Thailand is a major hub for wildlife traffickers, who often sell highly prized endangered species on the lucrative Asian black market.

AFP