Chennai man held at Kolkata airport with 707 Red-eared Slider turtles

Customs officials at Kolkata's NSCBI Airport seized 707 live Red-eared Slider turtles from a Chennai passenger arriving from Bangkok.

The passenger was arrested under the Customs Act, Wildlife Protection Act, and CITES after being intercepted via spot profiling.

Red-eared Slider turtles, native to the US and Mexico, are considered among the world's worst invasive species and can disrupt local biodiversity.

The passenger was held after crossing the green channel with oversized baggage; X-ray scanning revealed the live turtles.