Turtle smuggling racket busted

More than 800 Indian soft-shelled turtles, which were seized, released into Kolleru lake

Forest deparment staff releasing the seized tortoises into Kolleru Lake in Krishna District on Sunday. Photo: V. Raju.

Forest Department officials on Sunday seized more than 800 Indian soft-shelled turtles, which were reportedly being smuggled to other State. However, no one was arrested in the case.

On a tip-off, officials, headed by Kaikalur Range Officer A. Sunil Kumar and Forest Beat Officer B. Rajesh, raided a private plot at Venkatapuram in Kalidindi mandal, where over 800 turtles were packed in 13 gunny bags. The turtles were reportedly collected from ponds and canals and were being transported to Odisha and Bihar. 

Mr. Sunil Kumar said the smugglers had kept the bags hidden in bushes on a private plot and were awaiting a vehicle to transport them.

According to locals, the turtles would have been meant for consumption or preparation of drugs.

Wide network

“We are on the lookout for the person behind the racket. We suspect the smugglers have a wide network. The turtles might have been collected from water bodies at Syamalapuram, Godugulanka, Varahapuram, Kalidindi and other island villages. A case has been registered under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, and investigation is on,” Mr. Sunil Kumar said.

Deputy Range Officer G. Eswara Rao, Assistant Beat Officer Lazur, protection helpers P. Ravi and Shadrak later released the turtles into Kolleru lake at Atapaka.

Previous incident

Forest Department officials had seized more than 1,000 Indian soft-shelled turtles near Kaikalur in the district in June last year.