DRI reels in star catch at Mumbai airport

Over 1200 exotic ‘baby star tortoises’ were seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday morning from the checked-in luggage of two Malaysia-bound passengers Mubarak K, 42, and Mustafa Kamal, 22.
The tortoises are sold in pet markets in South East Asia, the US for exorbitant rates – adult tortoises are being sold for $1000.
Considering the size of the baby tortoises, DRI official believe the worth of each of these would be $500 making the consignment worth nearly Rs3 crore in international market.
A DRI spokesperson said, “The two passengers were booked on a Sri Lankan Airline flight (UL - 144) headed for Malaysia via Colombo. The tortoises were bundled inside bags that were packed in the luggage.
The two accused will be produced before the court on Friday.
22/03/07 Renni Abraham/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Airports Mar 2007