BOC foils attempt to smuggle 25 live reptiles through NAIA

Operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) prevented an attempt to smuggle over two dozen live reptiles through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

In a statement on Saturday, the BOC said its Port of NAIA operatives seized two venomous spitting cobras, eight pit vipers, and 15 sailfin lizards with a market price of P300,000.

The reptiles were concealed in bamboo chimes and lanterns intended for export to Taiwan on February 18, 2021.

The package, declared as “souvenir items” by a certain “Adrian Lim” from Pasig City, was consigned to a certain “Ryan Su” of Taiwan.

The wildlife species were discovered and seized through the joint efforts of the Port of NAIA and offices under the Export Division, Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), Environmental Protection and Compliance Division (EPCD) , X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP), Customs Intelligence and Inspection Service (CIIS) and DHL in close coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The seized cobras, pit vipers, and sailfin lizards were immediately turned over to the DENR for proper handling and disposition, including the consequent profiling and case build up against the shipper and co-conspirators for illegal wildlife trade in violation of RA 9147 (Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act) and RA 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act).

The Port of NAIA remains vigilant not only in the interception of illegal drugs but also in the illegal wildlife trade.

The Port of NAIA, last March 2019 and September 2020, was commended by Traffic Asia for the confiscation of 1,529 freshwater turtles and tortoises concealed in suitcases; and by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for the interception of a reticulated python concealed in a rattan basket. — DVM, GMA News