Hyderabad, Dec 25 (PTI) Two persons were apprehended here for allegedly smuggling tortoises, with 281 star tortoises and 160 red-eared slider tortoises seized from them, police said on Wednesday.

One is 39 years old, and the other is 50. Both are from Hyderabad, they said.

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In a joint operation by the police and the forest department, raids were carried out on two aquarium shops on December 24, and the tortoises were found in a secret godown.

During questioning, the accused, who runs aquarium stores, revealed that an individual from Andhra Pradesh (who is absconding in this case) hatched the plan to smuggle tortoises from Andhra Pradesh to Hyderabad for illegal profits, they added.

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A case under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act–1972 was registered, and the two accused, along with the seized property, were handed over to the forest department for further action, a release from the Rachakonda Police Commissionerate stated. The investigation is ongoing.

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