Customs Service foiled the smuggling of 750kg of coral reefs

Customs Service officers, detected an attempt to smuggle almost a ton of live corals. It all took place on 12 November, on the border crossing in Hrebenne, Lubelskie Voivodeship. The cargo was transported in 12 cars. This is the largest transport of this type, detected on the territory of our country.

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According to customs officers, they came across the illegal cargo during a routine control of the car of a Ukrainian citizen who was trying to cross the border in Hrebenne.

Soon, in a dozen more cars with Ukrainian registration numbers, identical boxes filled with coral reefs were discovered. Fragments of reef, covered with various living(!) marine organisms, were wrapped in wet newspapers and packed in airless plastic bags, which were placed in cardboard boxes.

As the marine organisms seized by Polish customs officers were at risk of death, the staff of the aquarium in Gdynia were immediately notified, to which the cargo was immediately sent. The corals were quarantined in a specially prepared tank, where they were taken care of by specialists.

The illegal transport of coral reefs is believed to have originated from Indonesia and to have come to our country via Germany. The drivers who were detained did not have any documents allowing them to transport species protected under the Washington Convention CITES. For trading in endangered species, they face imprisonment from 3 months to 5 years.

Source: mf.gov.pl
Photo: Customs Service