500 Indian star tortoises seized from train passenger in Vijayawada

Acting on specific input, DRI officials intercepted a passenger travelling from Vijayawada to Ahmedabad in an AC coach of Navjeevan Express and recovered 500 Indian star tortoises. The Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans) are declared “threatened” by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and feature on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Hyderabad: A total of 500 Indian star tortoises were seized from a passenger on a train at Vijayawada railway station in Andhra Pradesh by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) personnel on Monday. The passenger, who was arrested for illegal transportation and exportation of the reptiles, was on his way to Ahmedabad to deliver the "threatened species".

According to the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 the Indian star tortoises are a vulnerable and endangered species. They are also declared "threatened" by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and feature on IUCN Red List of "Threatened Species".

Acting on specific intelligence, the DRI officials stopped the passenger while he was about to leave for Ahmedabad from Vijayawada by the Navjeevan Express, the release said here.

During interrogation the arrested passenger said the star tortoises were collected by a person from Kadiri of Anantapur and was to be transported to Ahmedabad and then exported to different countries.

The seized Indian star tortoises were later handed over to the forest officials in Vijayawada for safe custody, while the passenger involved in the smuggling was arrested under Customs Act, 1962.