Police investigate origin of mogul’s elephant tusks
Police are in the process of determining the origins of two pairs of tusks confiscated from the house of Premchai Karnasuta, the construction mogul who was charged with poaching in a Kanchanaburi wildlife sanctuary, deputy national police chief Pol General Srivara Rangsibharmanakul said on Thursday.
An initial inspection of the tusks indicated that they did not come from Thai or Asian elephants, he said.
The ivory as well as dozens of rifles were confiscated from Premchai’s Bangkok houses after he was arrested for allegedly poaching in Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary early on Monday.
Found at his campsite erected in an off-limits area were the carcasses of protected wild animals, including a black Indochinese leopard, a barking deer and a pheasant as well as several hunting rifles.
Srivara said on Wednesday after the search that Premchai had a permit to own the tusks as required by law.
However, Srivara said on Thursday investigators were checking whether the permit was actually for the tusks in question.
“If the items do not match the permit, he will be charged,” he said.