Exposing a huge inter-state racket in endangered animals, 97 Olive Ridley turtles and about 100 cobras were seized in Agra from a courier consignment sent by a Chennai firm.

As many as 97 Olive Ridley Turtle hatchlings, five full-grown cobras and 97 baby cobras were sent in a carton through Professional Couriers. The consignment was sent by Chennai firm Royal Biological Products that advertises itself on the Internet as a dealer in museum specimens, microprepared slides and fibre-glass models, and was bound for Brijesh Upadhyaya of Brij Scientific Industries in Agra who is also known to supply biological specimens to schools and colleges. Upadhyaya is absconding.

Six employees of the courier company have been arrested in Agra and their office in Sanjay Place sealed. The charges include prohibited hunting, restricted transport in wildlife and prohibited trade and commerce in animal articles.

The Olive Ridley turtle is an endangered animal under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, while the cobra is a protected animal under Schedule 2 of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

“The courier company told us that it was some zoological material, so they did not bother to check,” said S.P. Yadav, the Deputy Forest Officer of Agra.

The crime came to light when one of the baby cobras escaped out of the carton as the delivery boy was on his way. The animals have allegedly been suffocated to death so that they do not have any injury mark. “The marks on the hood of cobras show that that they were stretched with needles to expand the hood and then put in formaline to preserve them,” Yadav said.

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