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Monk Caught Fleeing Thai Tiger Temple With Skins And Fangs

The interception is the latest in a series of discoveries suggesting the sanctuary is involved in illegal animal trafficking.
Police and park officials have removed more than 100 adult tigers from the complex since Monday.
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Police and park officials have removed more than 100 adult tigers from the complex since Monday.

In the latest of a series of controversial revelations against the Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua temple, Thai officials intercepted a monk attempting to leave the sanctuary with tiger skins and fangs on Thursday.

The interception comes after police and park officials received a court order on Monday to be stationed at the temple and remove more than 100 adult cats from the complex, and the discovery of dozens of dead tiger cubs in a freezer on Wednesday.

Adisorn Noochdumrong, the deputy director of Thailand's parks department, said: "Today we found tigers skins and amulets in a car which was trying to leave a temple," according to The Guardian.

Noochdumrong also said that further searches of the monk's quarters and the complex revealed more endangered animals and 20 jars of preserved animal parts used for medicines.

The temple has always denied trafficking allegations, in spite of years of animal rights groups and conservationists accusing the sanctuary of acting as a tiger farm to sell live animals, tiger body parts and organs on the black market.

According to officials, 84 tigers have so far been removed from the complex this week and transferred to breeding centres, although no official charges have been filed.

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