On 31 July 2002, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) confiscated 1,092 heads of star tortoises from an Indian national. The offender had been detained by Customs officers at Changi Airport as he arrived from Chennai, India. He was prosecuted in court and received a $5,000 fine and an 8-week jail term, and was ordered to pay $10,820 toward the care and repatriation of the star tortoises.
2 The AVA is the CITES Management Authority for Singapore. CITES stands for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and is an international agreement to ensure trade does not threaten wildlife with extinction. AVA administers the Endangered Species (Import & Export) Act, under which it is an offence to import or export a scheduled species without a CITES permit. Any person caught violating the ESA is liable for prosecution, and may be fined up to $5,000 ($10,000 for repeat offenders) and/or 1 year’s jail.
3 Since 2000, there have been 11 cases involving star tortoises. Three of these cases involved smuggling of star tortoises from India and occurred during the period April 2002 to July 2002, resulting in a total of 2,437 heads of star tortoises confiscated. The penalties ranged from a compound fine of $50 to a $5,000 fine and 8 weeks jail.
4 AVA has arranged with the Indian authorities to repatriate the star tortoises that were confiscated from the 3 smuggling cases that occurred this year. A total of 1,830 heads of star tortoises will be shipped to Chennai, India, where the Ministry of Environment & Forests, the CITES Management Authority for India, will receive them.
5 Singapore Airlines has graciously agreed to provide free shipping for the star tortoises. The repatriation will take place on 22 August 2002 and the star tortoises will fly on board Flight SQ 410, ETD – 2035 hrs.
6 The Singapore Zoological Gardens (SZG) is currently caring for the star tortoises. They are being conditioned for their eventual repatriation, and SZG is assisting AVA with the logistic arrangements.
7 The International Fund for Animal Welfare has kindly agreed to provide funds (USD 2,500) to cover the other expenses associated with the repatriation.
Issued by Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority
22 August 2002
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