A drugged tiger cub hidden among stuffed toy tigers was found in the suitcase of a woman flying from Bangkok to Iran.

Police say the woman, identified as a Thai national, checked in for her flight but her oversized bag was sent for an X-ray, which showed what appeared to be a live animal inside.

The woman was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport before boarding her flight on Sunday and the cub was sent to a wildlife conservation centre, where it is recovering from its trip.

The cub was about three months old and belongs to the Panthera Tigris species, which is native to certain parts of Asia and is the largest of all tiger species.

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