CHENNAI: Customs and wildlife crime control bureau seized 500 star turtles at Chennai airport, while they were being smuggled to Malaysia in a Thai Airways flight. Officials grew suspicious when they found movement inside thermocol boxes that were to be uploaded as cargo in the flight.
On opening the boxes, Thai Airways officials found at least 500 star turtles bundled in cloth bags. Export of the particular animal is banned. Cosmic Exports, who were sending off the carriage signed as crabs is now under investigation, especially owner Rajavelan, for involvement in the smuggling.
An airport source said that under the Risk Management System, several parcels go unchecked which is how the consignment reached the aircraft. The turtles cost around Rs 5000,000 in the international market. Sources in the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau said nearly 10 such seizures of star turtle being exported to other countries were caught lately. Sections 9, 38, and 48A of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 says the export of star turtle as illegal. Officials now face a challenge of preserving the seized animals as neither the Vandalur Zoo nor the forest department has the facility to accommodate them.
