Two stuffed baby alligators were seized by National Customs Service inspectors at the Colchane border complex (north). The species are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The Regional Director of the Iquique Customs Office, Cristian Molina Silva, said that the procedure was registered in Colchane during the inspection of the luggage of passengers entering Chile. "In this context and thanks to non-invasive X-ray technology, the presence of goods that require special authorizations because they are protected by international treaties was detected."
The director added that the two alligators were transported by a Bolivian tourist, who bought them on the informal market in her country and intended to bring them into Chile as a gift for her partner who lives in Calama.
"The tourist said she was unaware that she was committing an infraction and did not report the species in the joint Customs-Sag declaration, which is why the crime of smuggling of prohibited import goods was established.", the customs authority added.
Molina explained that "We are dealing with a special type of crime because it involves smuggling of exotic species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), where Customs also acts as an enforcement authority. The facts were reported to the prosecutor of Pozo Almonte and the woman was warned."
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The caiman or Caiman of the Para lives in the subtropical areas of South America and can reach 2,5 meters in length. Due to its indiscriminate hunting for the use of its skin for the manufacture of shoes and handbags, it had to be protected to avoid its extinction and is listed in the CITES Appendix.
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