Chennai: A 43-year-old man was arrested on Friday for trying to smuggle 88 black pond turtles to Bangkok in Thailand from the city airport. The turtles, forest department officials said, were part of a species found only in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.
Zakir Hussain, 28, of Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram was about to board a flight to Bangkok when he was nabbed. Central Industrial Security Force officials examined his bags and found the turtles underneath clothes in Hussain's suitcase. Customs officials informed the forest officials.
Police said Hussain had been running a mobile phone shop in Paramakudi. This was to be his second trip abroad, officials said after examining his passport. He had earlier gone to Singapore on a tourist visa.
During questioning, he said he did not know the person who handed over the suitcase to him at Chennai airport and paid him 10,000. He also denied being part of any smuggling racket.
03/08/14 Times of India
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Zakir Hussain, 28, of Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram was about to board a flight to Bangkok when he was nabbed. Central Industrial Security Force officials examined his bags and found the turtles underneath clothes in Hussain's suitcase. Customs officials informed the forest officials.
Police said Hussain had been running a mobile phone shop in Paramakudi. This was to be his second trip abroad, officials said after examining his passport. He had earlier gone to Singapore on a tourist visa.
During questioning, he said he did not know the person who handed over the suitcase to him at Chennai airport and paid him 10,000. He also denied being part of any smuggling racket.
03/08/14 Times of India
