Entertainment

More than 1,500 tortoises and terrapins found in smuggler’s luggage at airport

The illegally trafficked wildlife was rescued from four bags belonging to one passenger.
The illegally trafficked wildlife was rescued from four bags belonging to one passenger. The illegally trafficked wildlife was rescued from four bags belonging to one passenger.

A collection of 1,529 live tortoises and terrapins has been rescued from a smuggler’s luggage in the Philippines.

The exotic species were spread across four bags owned by one passenger travelling from Hong Kong.

The species included star, redfoot and sulcata tortoises as well as red-eared terrapins and were worth 4.5 million Philippine peso (£65,623) on the illegal wildlife market.

The tortoises taped up
The tortoises taped up (Bureau of Customs NAIA)
One of the species of tortoise
One of the species of tortoise (Bureau of Customs NAIA)

The creatures were discovered after the bags were X-rayed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.

The Filipino traveller who owned the bags left them unclaimed in the arrivals area, but could face a prison sentence of one to two years or a fine of between £291 and £2,916.

In 2018 the airport discovered a toal of 560 items being smuggled due to the illegal wildlife trade, including 250 geckos and 254 corals smuggled in parcels, baggage and in shipments.

One of the terrapins, in front of its fellows
One of the terrapins, in front of its fellows (Bureau of Customs NAIA)
One of the tortoises held up
One of the tortoises held up (Bureau of Customs NAIA)

The airport has also apprehended 63 iguanas, chameleons and bearded dragons this year.

The reptiles were turned over by the Bureau of Customs NAIA to the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources Wildlife Traffic Monitoring Unit.