A suspected wildlife trafficker has been caught with around four tonnes of threatened turtles on his boat.
Police intercepted the 24-year-old suspect on Monday (25 Aug) and immediately seized the reptiles from his wooden vessel.
Photographs released by authorities show the animals crammed into the boat, piled on top of one another.
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The bust occurred deep in Brazil’s Amazon jungle, following tip-offs about alleged trafficking.
Police chief Armando Diadosk Júnior said: “During the operation, we located the boat near the district of Belo Monte, in a rural area of Canutama.
“Inside, we found around 254 live turtles, one dead tracajá, and a thousand turtle eggs.”
Officers released the live reptiles back into the river at the scene, as reported by Need To Know.
The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was taken to the police station in Canutama for processing.
Belo Monte is located on the Purus River – a tributary of the mighty Amazon.
The term “tracajá” can refer to either the yellow-spotted Amazon river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) or the big-headed Amazon river turtle (Peltocephalus dumerilianus), both of which are considered vulnerable species.
The Civil Police of Amazonas state said in a statement: “The individual will face charges for the environmental crime of professional illegal hunting and will remain at the disposal of the judiciary.”
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