Customs authorities in the Philippines have intercepted more than 1,500 live turtles and tortoises packed inside suitcases at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport, officials said Monday.

The 1,529 reptiles were found hidden among clothes and shoes in four suitcases that are believed to have been abandoned in the arrivals section by a passenger who arrived from Hong Kong.

Read more: Cracking the bad eggs of the turtle trade

The species included several star tortoises, red-footed tortoises, sulcata tortoises, and red-eared sliders, the customs bureau said in a statement on Monday. Some of the animals had their legs restrained with duct tape.

The turtles seized were estimated to be worth 4.5 million Philippine pesos (€76,700, $87,000), the customs bureau announced.

The turtles were found hidden between clothes and shoes

Smuggler on the run

The suspected smuggler disappeared before authorities could confront him or her, officials said.

"The passenger may have been informed of the vigilance of the port against illegal wildlife trade and its penalties, thus leaving the luggage unclaimed in the arrival area," the statement said.

"We saw the images from the x-ray (machine)," Manila airport customs chief Carmelita Talusan said.

Read more: SOS: Turtles in need

"Our staff were taking care not to hurt them because duct tape was used to immobilize the turtles," he added.

Investigators said they are now working to determine the whereabouts of the passenger who attempted to smuggle the reptiles.

They could could face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to 200,000 Philippine pesos (€1,760, $2,000 dollars) if convicted of the crime.

The weird and wonderful world of turtles Roti Island snake-necked turtle Catalogued on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as "critically endangered", this unusual looking creature is now known to occur in just three separate populations on Indonesia's tiny Rote Island. Named for its neck, which can grow to lengths of between seven and nine inches, the species commands high prices in the commercial pet trade.

The weird and wonderful world of turtles Mata mata turtle Native to South America, these carnivorous bottom-feeders hang out in the shallows of streams and swamps, where their camouflage gives them the edge over unsuspecting prey. Given its poor eyesight, it relies on other sensory aids, such as nerves near its mouths, to snag small fish and invertebrates. They don't move about much, but poke their long snouts out of the water in order to breathe.

The weird and wonderful world of turtles Hawksbill sea turtle It is from these beautiful ocean-dwellers that tortoiseshell derives its name, and as a result of the coveted material's decorative popularity the species has suffered a decline of more than 80 percent in the past century. Although international trade of hawksbill shells is now illegal, it continues on the black market. They are listed as critically endangered.

The weird and wonderful world of turtles Malayan softshell turtle Alternatively named the forest softshell turtle, this long-necked animal is found in the fast-flowing streams and quiet muddy backwaters of several Southeast Asian countries. Their shells might be soft, but their jaws are powerful enough to crunch the snails and molluscs that are their prefered food. They use their snout for breathing.

The weird and wonderful world of turtles African helmeted turtle This creature might be wearing a cute smile, but looks can be deceptive. Native to countries across sub-Saharan Africa, these omnivorous turtles will eat whatever they can get their little claws into. They have been observed picking parasites from the bodies of rhinos and warthogs and working in groups to catch and drown birds such as doves.

The weird and wonderful world of turtles Alligator snapping turtle At home in the lakes and rivers of the southeastern US, these prehistoric-looking creatures can theoretically live for 100 years. They are currently listed by the IUCN as "vulnerable" due to habitat disruption and capture for meat. They feed by luring prey into their open jaws with a worm-like appendage on their tongues. The strategy clearly works, as males can easily weigh 68 kilos (150 pounds).

The weird and wonderful world of turtles Leatherback sea turtle But that's nothing compared to the leatherback, which can reach lengths of two meters (6.5 ft) and weights of 900 kilos. The world's largest turtles, which as their name suggests, have a leathery rather than a hard shell, are capable of migrating as far as 16,000 kilometers annually. They are listed as "vulnerable" by the IUCN.

The weird and wonderful world of turtles Pig-nosed turtle Deriving their name from the little snout they use to like a snorkel to breathe, and to forage for food, the pig-nosed turtle is found in freshwater rivers, lagoons and streams in the Northern Territory of Australia and on New Guinea. Exploitation for meat and eggs, habitat loss and the exotic pet trade have contributed to this unique creature's "vulnerable" status on the Red List. Author: Tamsin Walker



Philippines struggle to curb wildlife trade

The Philippines is a major source and transit point of wildlife trafficking, according to a 2018 report by the US State Department.

The smuggling and trade of turtles and tortoises in the Philippines is banned under the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, but the Philippines authorities have struggled to curb the illegal wildlife trade.

The turtles confiscated on Sunday were likely destined to be sold in the Philippines or smuggled to other countries using false documents, environment officials said.

"It's for business purposes. Those turtles are expensive. It's such a lucrative business. There are buyers and collectors who treat them as pets," environment undersecretary Benny Antiporda remarked.

Antiporda said the Philippines would ask Chinese authorities whether they wanted to take back the confiscated turtles which were being quarantined and treated in Manila.

The reptiles have been handed over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Wildlife Traffic Monitoring Unit for safekeeping, the customs bureau statement said.

law/jm (AFP, AP, dpa)

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