Authorities said the poor creatures were 'crammed like sardines' in the two small bags.

The popular reptiles, with a nose that resembles that of a tiny pig, and often consumed as meat, are a threatened species native to Indonesia that are facing extinction and banned from trade.

In late 2011, hundreds of the pig nosed turtles were rescued and returned to the wild, which is the likely fate of this newly discovered batch.

Turtles are often smuggled through airports in fish tanks or other contraptions, and the fishermen who catch them are often subject to arrest; however, the turtle trade has not been stopped as thousands are smuggled yearly despite best efforts to stop the activity.

Below is a video clip about another recent turtle smuggling operation stopped, saving over 900 turtles, but some of whom perished in captivity. It is a tragic situation.

Read more here (c) tPC