2,300 red-eared turtles rescued at Chennai airport

Around midnight on Thursday, the Customs officials checked passengers who arrived from Bangkok on Thai Airlines flight. The officials identified Mohammed Younis (37) from Ramanathapuram, who was carrying six cardboard boxes. When enquired, Mohammed Younis reportedly said that he was carrying toys for his children. However, when they opened the boxes, officials found live red-eared slider turtles worth Rs 8 lakh. 

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) found that the turtles were brought illegally, and sent them back to Thailand on Thursday. Mohammed Younis was detained.

Meanwhile, DRI officials seized foreign currency worth Rs 80 lakh from a passenger during the wee hours of Friday. Based on a tip-off that huge amount of US dollars was being smuggled to Hong Kong on a 1.40 am flight on Friday, officials sought special permission to check the passengers inside the flight. 

Officials checked the hand baggage of Senthil Arasu (38) from Sivaganga, and found US dollars, worth Rs 40 lakh. After Senthil was off-loaded for further checks, they another bunch of US dollars hidden under his clothes worth an equal amount. The money was seized and Senthil was arrested Senthil for questioning. 

In another incident, Customs officials seized gold worth Rs 9 lakh from an air passenger. The officials were checking the passengers who arrived from Sri Lanka at 11.30 pm. When they frisked Meenakshi Sundaram (35) from Sri Lanka, who was walking through the green channel exit, officials found two gold bars and a ring inside his shoes, weighing 280 gram and worth Rs 9 lakh. He was detained.