Mumbai: DRI seizes over 500 endangered Indian star tortoises

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai unit in a joint operation with Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and Forest Department on Thursday seized over 500 endangered Indian star tortoises from a woman passenger at the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) railway station.

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The accused, who was travelling from Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh to the Kurla Terminus, had been arrested, the DRI said in a statement.

All the 523 seized tortoises were allegedly bound for sale to pet traders in the city.

The DRI said, the seized tortoises had been transferred to the forest department for further investigation.

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“As endangered species, the Indian star tortoises are trafficked and smuggled as a part of the exotic pet trade and are highly priced, both in local and international markets. They have been transferred to the forest department for further investigation,” the statement added.  

(With PTI inputs)