CHENNAI: Chennai Customs officers seized 5,193 red-eared slider turtles from the baggage of two passengers who landed at the city airport from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday via Indigo Airlines flight 6E 1032.
According to an official release, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted two male Indian passengers based on specific intelligence suggesting exotic wildlife species were being smuggled into India.
Upon examining their baggage, officers discovered 5,193 red-eared slider turtles, which are native to the United States and Mexico. These turtles were smuggled from Malaysia due to their high demand in the illegal pet trade.
The seized turtles were properly fed under the guidance of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and were re-exported to Malaysia, their country of origin, on the same day.
In a swift follow-up, Air Customs Officers apprehended two individuals waiting to receive the smuggled wildlife. The two passengers and the two receivers were arrested under the Customs and Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and produced before the District Judge at Alandur Court, who remanded them to judicial custody. "Further investigation is under progress," stated the Customs department.
The red-eared slider turtle is identified as an invasive species in India and other countries.
The WCCB has flagged a connection between Tamil Nadu’s wildlife smugglers and Malaysia’s notorious ‘Ninja Turtle Gang,’ a group involved in the trafficking and sale of turtles and tortoises from across the globe.
This incident follows earlier seizures in Chennai, including 4,986 turtles in September and another 5,000 turtles in April, indicating a growing trend in wildlife smuggling.
Meanwhile, local animal rights activists have renewed calls for stricter monitoring and a ban on midnight premier shows, citing the rise in such illegal activities.