Endangered turtle shells found hidden in nappy bags at Shenzhen border crossing in China

The shells of more than 40 critically endangered turtles have been found hidden in four nappy bags at the Shenzhen border crossing in southern China, according to a news agency report.

The hawksbill sea turtle shells were discovered at the Futian crossing on Tuesday night, the China News Service said.

The report gave no details of who had the shells or if any arrests were made.

The hawksbill sea turtle, also known as the “longevity turtle” in China, is frequently hunted down for its shell, which is a popular decoration due to its distinctive pattern and shiny surface.

The turtle has almost vanished from waters around China because of poaching, the report said.

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Catching, selling or buying hawksbill sea turtles are prohibited under Chinese law.