Mexican authorities rescue 3,400 trafficked baby turtles

Mexican authorities said Friday they had rescued over 3,400 protected baby turtles stuffed into cardboard boxes set to be trafficked.

During a roadblock in the southern state of Chiapas, agents found the critters "in overcrowded conditions" in boxes in a vehicle whose driver was arrested on wildlife trafficking charges, the environmental protection prosecutor's office said in a statement.

The baby animals were freshwater Meso-American sliders, native to Mexico, Central America and Colombia.

They are protected in Mexico against overexploitation.

"The specimens were transported without documentation proving their legal origin, which constitutes a violation of environmental regulations," the prosecutor's office said.

The turtles were taken to a specialized unit for rehabilitation and to determine whether they can be released back into the wild.