Eight specimens of coral at risk of extinction were seized At the Karol Wojtyla airport in Bari. The operation was conducted by the Guardia di Finanza of the II Bari Group, in collaboration with the officials of the Customs and Monopolies Agency.
The three passengers, all Italian and from respectively from Mauritius, Bali And Maldives (Among other things, destinations renowned for their naturalistic wealth =, they tried to illegally introduce rare corals, skillfully hidden in their luggage and without compulsory documentation, as certificates of origin or licenses provided for by international legislation.
The investigations carried out by the specialized Cites financiers have confirmed that the corals, for a total weight of 600 grams, belong to the protected species of the family Pocilloporidae (Pocillopora genre), Tuboridae (Tubipora genre) e Acroporidae (genus Acropora). These species are protected by the international convention of Washington (Cites), which regulates the trade in animal and vegetable species in danger of extinction and contributes to the protection of biodiversity.
The corals, without documentation, were seized administratively, while a fine of 5 thousand euros was imposed for each passenger. The operation testifies to the intense fight against illegal trafficking of over 35,000 species of flora and fauna protected by the Cites Convention, a phenomenon that involves the irresponsible removal of these species, putting at risk the integrity of the natural habitats and the entire ecosystem of belonging.
