At Domodedovo Airport, officers of the Central Operational Customs and Domodedovo Customs found 476 Central Asian steppe tortoises — a CITES-listed species — in the baggage of a Russian national arriving from Tajikistan; the reptiles were valued at over RUB 3 million. Source: FCS Russia.
Screening on the green channel revealed two boxes of live cargo. The man had no permits for the reptiles and said he intended to sell the tortoises through online marketplaces; this shipment was a trial batch.
The seized animals were transferred to the Center for Reproduction of Rare Animal Species at Moscow Zoo.
A criminal case was opened under Article 226.1(1) of the Russian Criminal Code for unlawful movement of especially valuable wildlife; the offence carries a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment.
