Balasore: The Forest Department busted a turtle smuggling racket OdishaBalasore district on Friday. Around 40 turtles were rescued by the forest officials when the illegal trader was taking the consignment from Damra to West Bengal.
Jaleshwar forest department officials arrested an illegal turtle trader after raiding a bus on Rajaghat bypass road on National Highway 60 under Jaleswar police restrictions today.
According to reports, after receiving information from a reliable source, Jaleswar forest department officials raided a private passenger bus named Sai Ram at Rajaghat. During the action, they found that a man was illegally transporting turtles.
Forest officials caught the man who was carrying as many as 40 turtle numbers in a bag. He is reportedly transferring it to West Bengal. He is from West Bengal. He was on his way to West Bengal from Damra. After his arrest, the forest department is continuing the investigation.
Notably, on September 7, nearly 87 turtles were rescued near Rajghat by the Jaleswar forest department.
In particular, the smuggling of turtles, a Class I species of aquatic animal, is a non-bailable offense under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Turtles are smuggled in for their alleged aphrodisiac properties, to make leather from their hides, medicine, to make potions from their blood and to use as fishing bait.