Malkangiri: In a significant crackdown on wildlife trafficking, forest officials in Odisha's Malkangiri district seized 473 rare turtles during an anti-smuggling operation in the Motu area early Friday morning.
Acting on a tip-off from reliable sources, a special forest department team set up a trap near the Motu checkpoint. Around 3 a.m., they intercepted a suspicious vehicle and discovered the turtles hidden in 13 sacks. The turtles were reportedly being smuggled from Andhra Pradesh into Odisha.
Although the occupants of the vehicle managed to flee, forest officials successfully seized the live turtles along with the vehicle used for their illegal transport. Both have been secured at the MV-79 forest office.
An investigation is currently underway to trace those behind the smuggling attempt. Authorities suspect the involvement of an inter-state trafficking network.
Odisha’s Forest Department regularly deploys specialised teams and collaborates with other agencies to tackle wildlife crimes. Under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, trafficking of turtles is a punishable offence, with penalties of up to seven years in prison and fines of ₹25,000. Recent amendments have introduced even stricter provisions for the trafficking of exotic species.
