PETALING JAYA: Airport officials in Tamil Nadu, India, seized over 6,900 tortoises from two male passengers who were travelling on an AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai.
According to the Hindu newspaper, customs agents stopped the travellers after acting on specific information. The police allegedly discovered 6,850 small-sized red-eared slider tortoises in both passengers’ pram bags.
According to reports, the animals were transported into the nation without any legitimate import papers or licences. Both travellers were put under custody.
Red-eared sliders are a native of the southeastern United States but have become invasive in Tamil Nadu, according to the state’s forestry department.
While Customs stated that the issue is presently being investigated, the forestry agency added that it was in the process of transferring the tortoises back to their place of origin.
