Reptile raid: One of the 10,277 smuggled endangered turtles and tortoises found by Customs officers - one of only four that survived.

Customs officers have seized 10,277 turtles and tortoises from an inbound container from Malaysia.

Worth about $1.36 million, it was a record seizure of endangered turtles.

Officers found 499 cartons of watermelons at the front of the container which was declared as containing 1,562 cartons of watermelons from Malaysia.

Further examination revealed that the watermelons covered the unmanifested cargo of turtles and tortoises.

The entire stock had died, apart from four tortoises.

So far, no one has been arrested and the case has been handed to the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department for further investigation.

Under the Animals & Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance, any person bringing into Hong Kong any endangered species without a licence is liable to a fine of $5 million and two years' imprisonment.