Customs officials seize 447 star tortoise

Bangalore, Oct 14: Customs Officials last night recovered 447 star tortoises being allegedly smuggled outside the country to Malaysia via Sri Lanka and one person was arrested in this connection.

Customs Department in a release here today said star tortoises, banned for export under the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 were brought to the city from Chennai for onward shipment to Kuala Lumpur via Sri Lanka.

Customs Commissioner P Ayyam Perumal said the tortoises were stuffed in Cotton pillow cover, which was, in turn, kept in a Airbag. Due to rough handling a few tortoise were found dead. The seized Star Tortoises were valued at about Rs 67 lakhs in the international market.

Kothandan Ranganath who was detained in connection with the illegal transhipment of star tortoises was being interrogated, the release added.

Star tortoises were kept as pet animals with a belief that they bring luck and fortune to the keeper. They were also being used for medicinal purposes and at times as a food delicacy.

The release said that during the last three months similar seizures had been effected at Cochin, Chennai and Tiruvananthapuram Airports.

The seized tortoises, declared as endangered species, would be handed over to the Forest Department officials.

UNI