200 tortoises, but nothing to declare

  • 14/08/2015
A star tortoise - imagine 200 of these packed into luggage (file)
A star tortoise - imagine 200 of these packed into luggage (file)

By 3 News online staff

Customs officials in India have arrested a man who tried to smuggle 200 star tortoises in his baggage.

The Malaysia-bound man queued in a lane at Kochi International Airport for those with nothing to declare, apparently thinking no one would discover hundreds of tortoises stuffed in his suitcase.

They did, and now he's in jail.

The man, known only as Mahesh, later told officials he was tricked into trying to smuggle them out of the country.

"To export this variety of endangered species, one requires special clearance from wildlife authorities. He had no such documents with him," an official told local media. 

Star tortoises are an endangered species, and the stash of the popular, exotic pet was worth an estimated $130,000 on the black market.

3 News