TWO people have been charged with 42 offences in relation to the illegal importation of endangered tortoises to the UK.

TWO people have been charged with 42 offences in relation to the illegal importation of endangered tortoises to the UK.

The pair, both 42 years old and from Walthamstow, east London were arrested at Stansted Airport on Friday, July 17 after arriving on a flight from Corfu.

Seven tortoises were found in their hand and hold luggage.

Both will appear before magistrates in Chelmsford tomorrow charged with offences under the Animal Welfare Act, 2006.

They have been charged with one count of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, six counts of failing to ensure animal welfare, seven counts of possessing an animal taken from the wild and seven counts of transporting an animal taken from the wild.