Bengaluru: A green trolley bag being carried through the busy streets of Gandhinagar concealed a shocking wildlife haul: 180 live Indian star tortoises, a protected species being moved as part of an illegal trafficking network, which was busted by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Bengaluru zonal unit.Acting on specific intelligence, DRI Monday intercepted the carrier. According to officials, ‘Operation Kurma’ led to the recovery of tortoises, identified as Geochelone elegans, from the trolley bag. DRI officers had mounted surveillance following information about the movement of the species protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.The bag had six cloth covers containing 180 tortoises. During questioning, the accused told officials that he had received the trolley bag from another person at Kalasipalya and was instructed to deliver it to someone in Majestic for Rs 10,000.The tortoises were seized, and the accused was arrested. The DRI said it is continuing the investigation to crack the larger network.
