Phuket expat Canadian arrested for illegally importing corals
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Phuket Gazette - A Canadian man was arrested yesterday after being caught bringing coral into the country which he claimed was to be used in a private aquarium at his home in Phuket Town.
Phuket expat Ted Blenkers, 54, was arrested after a person reported seeing him moving coral from a boat at Ao Por Marina (map here) to a van with Bangkok license plates.
“The person reported seeing the coral being placed into the van, which was driven from the pier at about 3:45pm,” Thalang Police Inspector Sarayuth Meeboon told the Phuket Gazette.
Officers quickly set up a roadblock near the Heroines Monument (map here) and minutes later Mr Blenkers arrived and was stopped.
“We searched his van and found 10 different pieces of coral,” Lt Col Sarayuth said.
“Mr Blenkers said he was a boat captain who had just returned from Indonesia. He had moored the boat at Ao Por Marina and was on his way home,” said Lt Col Sarayuth.
“He explained that he took the corals from Indonesia to decorate the fish tank at his home in Phuket Town,” he added.
Mr Blenkers was charged with importing coral without a permit and relocating plant or animal remains without a proper license, Col Sarayuth confirmed.
