AFP 05 July 06 Singapore rescues 630 endangered turtles destined for cooking pots
Singapore (AFP): Singapore authorities have rescued 630 endangered turtles smuggled from Indonesia and destined for cooking pots here, a wildlife trafficking watchdog and the government said.
A 35-year-old Singaporean man believed to have imported the Asian Softshell Turtles was arrested and will be charged under legislation covering the illegal trade of endangered species that came into effect in March.
He faces a fine of up to 500,000 Singapore dollars (316,000 US) and a maximum jail term of two years on conviction, the non-government group TRAFFIC Southeast Asia said in a statement.
A spokesman for Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) confirmed the statement.
"The turtles were being illegally imported into Singapore for consumption," the statement said.
Turtle soup, a product of turtle meat cooked with Chinese herbs, is a delicacy sought after by certain people because it is believed to boost one's immune system and offer other health benefits.
Another by-product, herbal turtle jelly, is believed to keep youthfulness and improve organ functions.
The turtles, worth about 50,000 dollars, were smuggled in a boat that arrived at a fish port here on Friday from Indonesia's Riau province.
AVA officers, acting on a tip-off, boarded the boat and found the turtles, but 25 were already dead.
Under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Asian Softshell Turtles are an endangered species.
It was the second mass seizure of smuggled turtles in Singapore since last month when 2,520 Asian Box Turtles were intercepted on a boat that arrived from Indonesia, according to the statement.
"We are stepping enforcement efforts at our end because we want to send a clear message across that Singapore is not a transit hub for illegal wildlife trade," the statement quoted AVA's wildlife regulatory branch head Lye Fong Keng as saying.
Singapore rescues 630 endangered turtles

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