A man was seen cruising the streets in a Bentley convertible with LION inside, sparking a cop investigation.
The mystery motorist drove around with the big cat – seen wearing a brightly-coloured collar – on the back seat.
Locals were seen looking on in amazement.
It happened in Pattaya in Thailand and sparked a police investigation on Tuesday (23 Jan).
The subsequent probe resulted in the arrest of a woman identified as Sawangjit Kosoongnern.
She is the registered owner of the white Bentley seen in the footage.
According to reports, the Bentley was driven by a Sri Lankan man who is a friend of the woman.
It is believed that he has since left Thailand.
In the Southeast Asian country, it is legal to own a lion, but it has to be officially registered with the authorities.
Kosoongnern reportedly told the police that she bought the big cat from a local man in Nakhon Pathom Province.
He then arranged for its delivery to the woman’s home in Pattaya, but his facility was not checked by officials beforehand.
This oversight makes both the transfer and ownership of the lion illegal.
As a result, Kosoongnern is facing charges of keeping a controlled wild animal without permission.
If convicted, she could face a year in prison and a fine of up to £2,199 (THB 100,000).
The police were looking to charge the Sri Lankan man for bringing a controlled wild animal into a public place.
The charge carries a prison sentence of up to six months as well as a fine of up to £1,099 (THB 50,000).
However, as he has reportedly left the country, it’s unlikely he will be brought to justice.
The local man who sold the animal is facing charges of transporting an animal without permission.
The investigation is ongoing.
According to the Thai authorities, there are currently 224 legally-owned lions in the country.
