Lucknow, May 23 (IANS) As many as 58 tortoises were recovered and five smugglers arrested here, police said Friday. A police team raided a hideout of a group of smugglers, five of whom were arrested, in Gosainganj area of Lucknow and recovered the tortoises Thursday night.

“Those arrested have revealed important information regarding a gang involved in trafficking of endangered tortoises. We have already initiated an investigation in this regard,” K. Singh of Gosainganj police station said.

Police said forest officials had confirmed that the tortoises had been caught in the Gomti river.