the 3 ft (1 m)-long lizards were tied up and stuffed into bags have seized 1,800 protected lizards customs officials in Thailand food are sold as is to be determined.The Bengal monitor lizards, in blue mesh bags filled and behind fruit, were found in southern Thailand near the border with Malaysia.
Lizard is valuable meat as a delicacy in parts of Asia.
World trade in the monitor lizards is banned and they are protected by law in Thailand and Malaysia.
The Bengal monitors are related to other members of the family monitor, including the world's largest lizard, Komodo dragon, which can grow up to 3 m (10 ft) long.
A Thai customs said official this batch of monitor lizards was a record haul and suggested that they were intended for Chinese kitchens.
"they are from Malaysia and transported by South Thailand and North Eastern Laos to China to eat", said Seree Thaijongrak told AFP.
"We knew there was a monitor lizard Club... this time, it is the largest seizure of ever," he said.
Trade in the lizards is prohibited by the Convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and Flora (CITES).
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