Officials of the Sri Lanka Customs have nabbed 488 live tortoises worth Rs.405,879 at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last night, Customs Spokesman Leslie Gamini said.

 “The live tortoises were packed in seven packages and were declared as crabs. There were 207 star tortoises, 169 rock tortoises and other unidentified rare species of tortoises and several live crabs,” he said.

“The live tortoises and crabs weighing 200 kilograms were to be exported to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by a businessman breaching the Aquatic Resources Act via a company in Yakkala,” he said.

The tortoises would be hand over to the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) today, Gamini said.

Investigations were carried out by Deputy Director of Customs R.D.A.M.G. Niyarepola, Superintendent Ajith Duminda, Assistant Superintendents H.K.S. Chamara, W.W.R.K. Fernando, Thilanka Samaraweera, A.M.K.B. Atapattu and DD. Wijesinghe. (Chaturanga Pradeep)