Bhubaneswar, April 25 -- https://images.odishatv.in/uploadimage/library/16_9/16_9_0/recent_photo_1745588102.webp
In a crackdown, forest officials intercepted a vehicle on Friday carrying around 473 turtles in Odisha's Malkangiri district, close to Motu of Andhra Pradesh. The Forest Department has confirmed that the reptiles were being smuggled from Andhra to Malkangiri.
Allegedly, the turtles were brought for sale at elevated prices. The van driver and another individual managed to escape the scene, evading capture.
The turtles, which had been packed into several large sacks in the vehicle, will be released into a nearby river, according to the Forest Department sources.
Recently, there have been increased reports of turtle trafficking ...