SINGAPORE:  , A person was transiting through Singapore , in August when he was caught , at Changi Airport with , 58 , American star reptiles in his bag.
Abdul Jaffar Haji Ali, an Indian national, was sentenced to 16 months in prison on Tuesday ( Dec. 10 ) after being found guilty of one count of illegally importing a listed species into Singapore.  ,
In Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, the American star snail is listed as a very endangered species. If their trade is not severely restricted, then these species face a serious risk of extinction, according to the National Parks Board ( NParks ).
The reptiles were discovered inside a gentle backpack belonging to Abdul Jaffar, wrapped in a linen bag, according to court records.
The traveller was awaiting his connecting flight to Jakarta on Aug 29, after , flying in from Chennai, when his luggage was screened by , Immigration and Checkpoints Authority ( ICA ) officers.
They discovered a problem, and turtles were discovered right after the case was opened. The problem was then referred to NParks for more studies.
The animals, however, were seized and sent to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation for evaluation.
A veterinarian claimed in an evaluation of the animal health and welfare of the examination that the method of transporting the tortoises into Singapore did not adhere to the guidelines set forth by the International Air Transport Association ( IATA ) for the safe and humane transportation of animals.
This , caused them “unnecessary suffering”, the physician added.
For the reasons listed below, the vet claimed that the reptiles ‘ transport conditions did not adhere to IATA’s requirements:
- The backpack they were discovered in was not strong enough to withstand vigorous piling or other external forces. There was a , hazard of the creatures being crushed during their travel, which could have led to injury or fatalities.
- There were no air openings in the backpack, creating , a danger of suffocation, heat stress and cold.
- The turtles were packed very richly in , a little and confined area. The animals, as a result,  , faced , increased anguish, and a higher , threat of strangulation and heat stress.
- The suitcase , was also not sufficiently labelled, and if the case had been badly handled, it , may have caused anxiety or injuries to the tortoises, leading to affected security.
Of the 58 reptiles, one of them was found dead.  , While it did not exhibit any visible signs of injury or conditions, it was assessed to be very slim. Twenty-two others were also found to be slim and the rest were , found to be of acceptable pounds.
According to court documents, Abdul Jaffar was not authorized to buy a listed species into Singapore without a valid permit from the director-general of animals trade control.