MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Tuesday said it has taken full custody of the 50 endangered tortoises recently intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).
The tortoises were discovered by customs personnel at Naia on June 12, 2026 after the baggage of a certain Malaysian passenger arriving from Bangkok (Thailand) was flagged during X-ray screening.
“The 50 live Radiated Tortoises, a critically endangered species endemic to Madagascar and highly sought after in the illegal exotic pet trade, were formally turned over to DENR-NCR for evidence processing and documentation,” the DENR said.
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