Kolkata, Sep 3 (IANS): The Border Security Force (BSF) has arrested a smuggler and recovered 195 Indian star tortoises from his possession along the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) in West Bengal's North 24-Parganas district.

Star tortoises are found in central and southern parts of India, western Pakistan and Sri Lanka. They are a threatened species and come under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Even the possession of Star Tortoises as pets is considered illegal in India, let alone their trafficking.

“Troops at the Tarali-I Border Outpost had received intelligence inputs of an attempt to smuggle wildlife out of India and were on a state of alert. Around 7.30 pm Monday, they spotted three persons suspiciously moving towards the IBB with sacks on their heads,” said A K Arya, DIG and spokesperson, South Bengal Frontier, BSF.

He said that on being challenged, they dropped their headloads and attempted to flee. While two of the smugglers succeeded, the third was caught along with the sacks. The tortoises were found on opening the sacks. The tortoises were being trafficked to Bangladesh.

The smuggler was taken to the Border Outpost and interrogated and confessed that he had been involved in petty smuggling activities along the IBB to make a living.

He was apparently approached by one Ripon Biswas on a paddy field at Swarupdah. Biswas promised his Rs 500 if he could cross the BSF line of responsibility with the sacks and hand them over to him.

The smuggler was later handed over to the state forest department with the tortoises.

Arya commended the BSF personnel and said that it was extremely important to prevent the trafficking of animals and birds from India.