Thai wildlife authorities have confirmed that they intend to charge Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua temple in Kanchanaburi province following the discovery of 40 dead tiger cubs in a freezer at the site earlier this week.

The temple’s 137 living tigers are currently being removed by wildlife groups – with reports that dozens of the animals have already been relocated to other sites.

Authorities are accusing temple operators of wildlife trafficking, abuse of animals and illegally possessing carcasses and endangered species. The temple has denied all of these charges.

Reports said that the tiger cubs would have been one or two days old when they died.

The temple has been closed to tourists since the raids began at the start of the week.

Animal activists and former workers at the temple have complained that the tigers have been mistreated and kept in cramped concrete cages.