About 5,000 Indian softshell turtles were seized from Bongaon on the Bangladesh border on Monday when they were being smuggled into Bangladesh, reports Times of India.
Pradeep Vyas, additional principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), said most of the 4,980 seized turtles were alive.
Three persons have been arrested in this connection, he said.
They were identified as Mahadeb Dey, Mithun Das and Sadhan Mondal who had procured the turtles from Vizag, the port city in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
Local police intercepted the trio at Kalupur near Bongaon and later handed them over to the forest department.
Vyas said: “They are suspecting that the consignment was meant for meat trade.”
Forest officials said that the turtles, listed vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, would soon be released in any of the protected areas in West Bengal.