More than 1,500 turtles were discovered in several bags at an airport in the Philippines.
The turtles, which are worth about $87,000, were found duct taped and packed into suitcases, CNN reports.
According to the Bureau of Customs agency Facebook post: “The 1,529 live turtles (Star Tortoise, Redfoot Tortoise, Sulcata Tortoise, Red-eared Slider live species ) were found inside the left-behind luggage of a certain arriving Filipino passenger from flight PR 311 Hong Kong.”
The agency noted that the capture and sale of the little green guys is a violation of RA 10863 and RA 9147 which prohibits the sale and import and export of illegal wildlife and endangered species.
Three of the species of turtle found are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s list of vulnerable species, but are frequently sold to buys around the world as exotic pets.
Because of the hefty fine associated with unlawfully snatching up or selling one of these turtles might have been the cause for abandoning the bags– in Hong Kong, where the turtles are popular pets, violators of the code could face a $1.3 million fine and 10 years in prison. The Philippines have similar punishments for turtle-nappers.
Last year, the Bureau of Customs seized over 550 exotic species including geckos and corals.
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