Thousands of tiny turtles seized in Kuala Lumpur, 4 Indians held

Malaysia authorities have arrested four Indians and seized more than 14 kilogrammes of drugs and over 5,000 turtles from their luggage at the Kuala Lumpur airport. The smuggled species is the red-ear slider turtle.

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia authorities have arrested four Indians and seized more than 14 kilogrammes of drugs and over 5,000 turtles from their luggage at the Kuala Lumpur airport.

Senior customs official Zulkurnain Mohamed Yusuf, said agents found a total 5,255 turtles kept in small baskets from the luggage of two Indian nationals, who flew in from Guangzhou, China on June 20.

Though Zulkurnain described the seized creatures as tortoises during a press conference Wednesday, the smuggled species is the red-ear slider turtle.

He said the men told investigators the turtles, estimated to be worth 12,700 US dollars, were meant to be sold as pets in India.

Zulkurnain on Wednesday said officials also found a total of 14.34 kilogrammes of methamphetamine worth 717,000 ringgit (174,000 US dollars), hidden in special compartments in boxes that were hand-carried by two men who flew in from India on June 19 and June 20, respectively.