Israel foils smuggling of rare birds at Ben Gurion Airport
"The establishment of INPA's new intelligence unit has a significant contribution in our efforts to advance law enforcement and protecting wildlife," Shamir added.
By CASSANDRA GOMES-HOCHBERGUpdated: DECEMBER 27, 2018 00:38Protected rare birds worth 70,000 euros were recovered in a smuggling attempt at Ben Gurion Airport(photo credit: INPA)
Protected rare birds worth €70,000 were recovered in a sting operation at Ben-Gurion Airport, according to a report by the Nature and Parks Authority.In an undercover operation, Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) officials, in cooperation with Border Police detectives, the Tax Authority and officials from Belgium arrested two individuals suspected of smuggling the birds.Twenty-eight mutated red-crowned parakeets were found. They were smuggled from Belgium under harsh conditions and some were found dead.The suspects were detained for further investigation. One of them received a €12,000 fine.“The State of Israel is a signatory to an International Convention (CITES) for protecting endangered plants and animals,” said Yatir Shamir, head of the wildlife protection department at the INPA. “It aims to ensure that the international trade of specimens of wildlife and plants do not threaten their survival.”“The establishment of INPA’s new intelligence unit has a significant contribution in our efforts to advance law enforcement and protecting wildlife,” Shamir added.
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