Customs officials at Chennai International Airport seized around 5,400 red-eared slider turtles, valued at approximately Rs 75 lakh, from two passengers arriving from Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
The turtles, commonly trafficked for their ornamental and supposed medicinal value, were discovered during inspections of the luggage belonging to Ramesh Akash (29) and Tamim Ansari Mohammed Rafique, both residents of Chennai.
Under suspicion, customs officers conducted a detailed search and found the live turtles packed inside cardboard boxes. Red-eared sliders, native to regions such as Malaysia, Thailand, and parts of Europe, are widely traded as decorative pets in private tanks and estates.
Officials from Customs and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) raised serious concerns, warning that such exotic species carry foreign pathogens that could threaten India’s native wildlife, birds, aquatic systems, and even human health. Their introduction could severely disrupt local ecosystems.
Following consultations between the Tamil Nadu Wildlife Department and the Union government’s WCCB, authorities decided to repatriate the turtles to Malaysia.
Both passengers were arrested and are being investigated for their involvement in the smuggling operation.
Chennai Airport has increasingly become a hotspot for wildlife trafficking in South India, particularly for star tortoises. Two recent back-to-back seizures prompted the Tamil Nadu WCCB to heighten surveillance. In a recent tip-off-based operation, air intelligence officers confiscated 3,600 live star tortoises, destined for Southeast Asia and Gulf nations.
Star tortoises—classified as endangered under CITES and listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN—are often sourced from Andhra Pradesh regions such as Madhanapalli and Chittoor. The WCCB has been conducting random checks in these areas to intercept smugglers and illegal breeders.
Recognizing the scale of wildlife smuggling, organizations like WWF and UNEP have been providing training and tools to strengthen customs officials’ capacity for identifying and intercepting trafficked wildlife. TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network affiliated with WWF, has documented the steep rise in smuggling through Tamil Nadu’s airports, driven by increased aviation connectivity.
India ranks among the top 10 countries globally where the airline sector is frequently exploited for wildlife smuggling. Species like the black pond turtle and star tortoise remain among the most trafficked, with Chennai Airport serving as a major transit hub.
In a recent raid in Tiruvallur district, the Tamil Nadu Wildlife Department found private farms illegally rearing star tortoises for export. Officials suspect possible complicity of some local police personnel in facilitating the trade.
A proposal is under consideration to upgrade star tortoises from Schedule IV to Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, offering them the highest level of legal protection. With enhanced enforcement mechanisms supported by WWF and UNEP, authorities hope to curb illegal wildlife trafficking of species like star tortoises, black pond turtles, and red-eared sliders.
