Visakhapatnam: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted a smuggling operation at the Visakhapatnam Railway Station on Wednesday.
Acting on a tip off, DRI officials accosted two passengers who had arrived from Shalimar at Visakhapatnam railway station.
Searches revealed that the individuals were carrying 396 endangered turtles. Wildlife experts confirmed the presence of 151 Indian-roofed turtles (Pangshura tecta), 220 Indian tent turtles (Pangshura tentoria), nine Indian-crowned turtles (Hardella thurjii), and 16 brown-roofed turtles (Pangshura smithii).
The smugglers had picked up these turtles in West Bengal and had been proceeding to Chennai.
Indian tent, Indian roofed turtle and Indian crowned turtles are species listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. This provides the turtles highest degree of protection under the Indian law.
DRI has handed over the rescued turtles to AP forest officials for proper care. The two individuals smuggling the turtles have been handed over to the forest department for further investigations under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Earlier this month, the DRI had seized Mountain monkeys native to Uganda at the Ichchapuram check post while being smuggled from West Bengal to Chennai.
