Scanners intercept illegal transport of wildlife, corals

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (BOC-NAIA) warned illegal wildlife traders to stop their activities because the agency is in close coordination with other regulating agencies to secure Philippine borders and protect the environment from such traders. ??

The BOC-NAIA team continues to protect the Philippine borders against illegal wildlife in cooperation with the Customs X-Ray Inspection Project, which apprehended a total of 34 wildlife species that a passenger tried to sneak into the country without necessary importation permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).??

The intercepted wildlife species consisted of 20 lizards (dragon and geckos), four snakes and 10 Moss frogs, which were concealed in shoeboxes in the luggage of a female passenger who arrived from Bangkok on Dec. 6 at Terminal 2.??

Meanwhile, 254 pieces of live corals were about to be carted out of country when discovered by Customs inspectors in two pieces of luggage bound for Taiwan. These were immediately turned over to the DENR-NCR and brought to the Biodiversity Management Bureau in Quezon City for proper identification, care and protection. ??

BOC-NAIA district collector Mimel Talusan said the importation of wildlife species without permit or clearance from DENR is a violation of the Customs Modernization Tariff Act in relation to provisions of Republic Act 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection law of 2001.