Local media reported that the man was bound for Malaysia on a tourist visa and had stored the tortoises in two cardboard boxes when he was apprehended.

The man claimed the boxes contained rice and dhal, but security staff became suspicious when one of the boxes moved.

He later told the customs staff he bought the tortoises for 100 rupees (about RM5.60) each from a breeder in Andhra Pradesh and planned to sell them at more than 50 times this price in Kuala Lumpur.

Star tortoises, found across southern India, are protected by Indian wildlife conservation legislation.

In 2022, Chennai airport officials foiled an attempt to smuggle 1,364 live star tortoises to Malaysia.