ARUSHA, Tanzania, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian police on Sunday announced the seizure of over 100 tortoises that were about to be smuggled to European countries and the United States through South Africa.

Singida Regional Police Commander Sweetbert Njewike said that a suspect was found with 114 tortoises, packed in different bags, while travelling to Tanzania's southwestern region of Mbeya from the lake zone region of Mwanza.

He described the seized tortoises, which have a street value of 7,792 U.S. dollars, as leopard tortoises, a grazing species that favors semi-arid, thorny to grassland habitats.

Njewike said police acted on a tip-off and arrested the suspect upon searching a passenger bus.

The suspect, identified as Jafari Shongwe, was planning to smuggle the animals to South Africa through the Tanzania-Zambia border and eventually to Europe and the United States, he added. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)