Malaysia rescues hundreds of turtles from smuggling ring

The head of the Malaysian National Parks and Wildlife Department, Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim, said that in the operation on June 29, police and wildlife officials confiscated 400 turtles, worth a total of 3.8 million ringgit (over 805,000 USD) used as items for the exotic pet trade. Among them were the rare Samanera tortoise and the Indian star tortoise. Accordingly, the operation, codenamed “Unified National Resources,” dismantled a turtle smuggling ring called the “Ninja Turtle Gang.”

These turtles are purchased from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and illegally brought into Malaysia by land or by commercial flights, after which they may be further sold to Thailand and Indonesia if local demand is met.

In Asia, many people believe that turtles bring good luck and prosperity. Malaysia's location in Southeast Asia makes it a hub for smuggling these exotic animals.

According to Traffic, a non-governmental organization that monitors wildlife trade, Southeast Asian countries act as both a source, consumer, and transit point for wildlife species originating from the region, as well as other parts of the world.