One arrested, 730 tortoises seized in Purnea

Nearly 730 tortoises were seized and a member of a smuggler's gang was arrested on Saturday in Bihar's Purnia district, an official said.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of forest officials, along with local police, recovered tortoises from a truck.

The forest official said the tortoises were being smuggled from Uttar Pradesh to Kolkata in West Bengal, and would then be smuggled to Mayanmar.

"The demand for tortoises is high in international market for its meat and they are also used in preparation of some medicines," the official said.