BORDER Force officers at Bristol Airport have rescued three live tortoises which passengers were trying to smuggle into the UK concealed in cigarette packages.

The discovery was made on Tuesday, 28 August, after a family of six passengers arrived at Bristol on a flight from Tunisia.

A baggage search revealed three tortoises concealed in separate suitcases, all of which had been transported in the baggage hold.

Each tortoise was found underneath layers of clothing inside cigarette packets containing single lettuce leaves.

Border Force officers contacted expert colleagues from the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) team who confirmed that the animals were controlled under the CITES convention and required the correct permits to be imported legally.

CITES permits also have conditions attached to ensure that animals are transported in accordance with International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations - the worldwide standard for transporting live animals by air.

Border Force officers arranged for the animals to be transported to a separate facility where they could be cared for appropriately.

Peter Jones, Assistant Director, Border Force Bristol, said: "Clearly, transporting animals in such a way and without the correct paperwork is not acceptable.

Rules are in place for reasons of animal welfare and thanks to the intervention of our officers, these tortoises can now be properly cared for.

"This should serve as a warning to anyone thinking about transporting wildlife in such conditions."

In the UK, Border Force is responsible for front-line detection and seizure of endangered animals and plants covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

CITES is an international agreement between governments and aims to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. It covers more than 35,000 species of animals and plants.

The Border Force CITES team works closely with the National Wildlife Crime Unit, National Crime Agency and police forces on investigations and provide expert advice on import and export issues.