CHENNAI: Wildlife department officials in the city have arrested the `kingpin' of the star tortoise smuggling racket to Malaysia in the last couple of years.

The wildlife authorities said Customs officials summoned R. Narayanan (25) of Tiruvalluvar Nagar, Tondiarpet, in connection with a drug smuggling case.

When they found out that he was not involved in the case they were handling, but was involved in the smuggling of star tortoises, they informed the Wildlife authorities, who took custody of Narayanan.

Preliminary investigation by the Wildlife authorities revealed that Narayanan used to buy star tortoises from `shikaris' from Madanapalli in Andhra Pradesh, who collected the reptiles from the wild.

The Wildlife authorities said that each specimen would fetch about Rs 300, and were mainly sent to Malaysia. From Malaysia the reptiles would go to different destinations including Singapore and the U.S. They were smuggled mainly to be reared as pets, Narayanan told the officials.

Last year, he had received a consignment of 650 star tortoises from the shikaris of Andhra Pradesh and this year he received two consignments — 350 and 660. So far, he had purchased 1,660 star from the shikaris, which he then tried to smuggle to Malaysia through the carriers.

However, the consignments were seized at the airport and other places, the wildlife authorities said.

It was for the first time the authorities arrested a person directly involved in the smuggling of star tortoises.

A senior officer said, "With the arrest of one of the kingpins, more and more information about star tortoise smuggling should come to light."

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