China seizes 620 turtles, tortoises smuggled from Vietnam

Police in south China have seized 620 turtles and tortoises, including 510 under state protection, smuggled from Vietnam to be sold as delicacies.

The police said they heard "creeping sounds" while inspecting a truck supposedly carrying frozen seafood in Fangchenggang City in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on August 24.

Fifteen cartons on the truck were found to contain endangered species, including Indochinese box turtles and elongated tortoises.

They were destined for Guangdong, where endangered turtles are sold in the black market as delicacies, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.

The frontier police have transferred the turtles to forestry authorities.