Malaysia arrests Indian national caught with 2,500 turtles at airport
The incident comes after several cases of smugglers using Kuala Lumpur’s main airport as a hub to transport primates and rare reptiles
The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has made headlines in recent months due to incidents of individuals smuggling endangered primates and rare reptiles, including tortoises and iguanas.
“Further inspection found thousands of red-eared slider turtles hidden in the luggage,” said AKPS, adding the haul was worth around US$82,000.
Native to North America, the red-eared slider is classified as an invasive species in many countries, including India, where it poses a major threat to native aquatic biodiversity.
The incident marked a rare wildlife smuggling case that was foiled at KLIA before a flight departure, in contrast with previous cases, which were only discovered after the smugglers had left the airport and reached their destinations.
UK-based wildlife trade watchdog Traffic previously reported that the rampant wildlife trafficking through KLIA was driven by demand for exotic species as pets.