DRI thwarts illegal turtle trade, seizes 1448 turtles in Khurda
Khurda: In a successful operation, officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have apprehended an individual and seized 1448 Indian Flap Shell Turtles at Godipada Toll Plaza of Khurda yesterday.
Apart from seizing the turtles under provisions of Section 50(1)(c) read with Section 9 and Sl.No.44 of Schedule-I of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the DRI officials also seized the vehicle and its driver whom they identified as Mahadev Dey.
Speaking about the seizure of turtles, Susanta Kumar Bandha, the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) of Khurda Forest Division said, “The senior intelligence officer of the DRI informed that they have reportedly waylaid a vehicle with a registration number of West Bengal at Godipada toll gate while it was going to West Bengal from Andhra Pradesh,”
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“Soon, the officials of DRI conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered that Indian flapshell turtles were being transported. A total of 1,346 live turtles and 102 dead ones were recovered from the vehicle,” he added.
It is to be noted here that Indian Flap Shell Turtles, classified as a Schedule I species, are afforded stringent protection under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
