Star tortoises seized at airport

Chennai: Around 1,000 endangered star tortoises were seized from a Singapore-bound passenger at the airport here, three weeks after Malaysia returned to India hundreds of such smuggled animals.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials seized the tortoises from the passenger who had come to board a Chennai - Singapore Malaysian Airlines flight last night, airport sources said.
The passenger, whose identity was not revealed, was searched and arrested following a tip-off, they said.
The seized tortoises will be handed over to forest department officials.
Earlier this month, more than 300 star tortoises, seized by Malaysian authorities from a passenger from Chennai, were returned to India.
23/07/07 Chennai Online

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Categories: Airports Jul 2007, Foreign Jun 2007