Allahabad, Jan 23 : Allahabad police had recovered thousands of baby turtles and adult tortoises from gunny bags found in a truck.

Three persons were detained on charges of smuggling these animals.

Senior Superintendent of Police Ashok Jain said further investigations are on to nab the kingpin of this racket.

"A Special Operational Group (SOG) team and a Tharwai Police Station team jointly seized five and half to six tonnes of live tortoises. They were being smuggled out from Etah," claimed Jain.

Darbara Singh, one of the arrested persons, said tortoise suppliers had lured them with money. At the attractive offer of rupees 28,000 was made, he added.

Besides being slaughtered for their meat, tortoises are also used in the formulation of certain traditional medicines formulations. (ANI)