RIA Novosti was told at the press service of the regional customs house that 14 turtles were illegally carried by Vietnamese nationals, arriving to Ufa recently by the Hanoi-Irkutsk-Ufa flight. They had no permissions issued for the turtles.
According to customs officer Ramil Shaikhtdinov, the turtles were hidden in a banana box. Two turtles had died - one was crashed and the other got frozen in the luggage compartment of the jetliner.
Supposedly, the turtles were being brought to Ufa to be sold in a restaurant: in Chinese restaurants turtle dishes are in high demand, each costing from 30 to 50 dollars.
The turtles have been seized from the Vietnamese as falling under the clauses of the international convention. The foreigners will face a large fine.
Bashkir customs officers will pass the turtles to zoos and terrariums in Russia.
