Bangkok bound passenger caught with star tortoises

Chennai, May 7 (UNI) Officials of the Air Intelligence unit of customs seized 197 star tortoises from a Bangkok bound passenger at Anna International airport here last night.

Commissioner of customs Mr C Rajan told newsmen here today the officials while maintaining a surveillance over the passengers bound for Bangkok by Malaysian airlines, intercepted one Abdul Razaak who after completing the check-in and immigration formalities was passing through the customs channel.

The officials questioned him about the contents in his baggage.

He first replied that he was a businessman and that his baggage contained only personal belongings.. However, on examination, they found 197 live star tortoises, which are endangered species under appendix II of the convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of wild flora and fauna (CITES).The passenger was arrested.

Mr Rahab saud the seized tortoises were being handed over to wild life authorities.

He said the star tortoises are found in the forests of Andhra Pradesh from where they are collected and brought to Chennai for smuggling to Far Eastern countries. There is a big demand for these small variety of tortoises in these countries as they are regarded as good omen and kept in homes as pets.

Last year, the air customs had detected three cases of smuggling of the star tortoises and one case of sea horses, another endangered species, he added.

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