The market value of the rescued animals was pegged at more than Rs 50 lakh. An AIU official said Arif, a native of Patna, had boarded the Thai Airlines flight (TG-318) for Bangkok that was scheduled to take off at 11.20 pm.u00a0

It was while screening his luggage that the officials got suspicious, and when they thoroughly checked the luggage, the officials found 97 live tortoises packed in eight different pouches. They then asked Arif to alight the aeroplane.