Forest Dept Seizes 1 Ton of Smuggled Tortoises on Odisha-AP Border

Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown, the Forest Department seized nearly one ton of tortoises and busted an inter-state smuggling racket on Monday at Rajulkonda, located along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border. The officials also arrested two individuals involved in the illegal operation.

Acting on a tip-off, Forest Department personnel were informed about the transportation of a large consignment of tortoises from Narasinghapatna in Andhra Pradesh to Kalimela MV79 in Odisha’s Malkangiri.

Chitrakonda Ranger Banamali Nayak swiftly assembled a team and intercepted a vehicle at Rajulkonda.

Upon inspection, the officials discovered approximately one ton of tortoises, packed in 35 sacks.

An in-depth investigation is currently underway to uncover further details about the smuggling network.