The seizure includes 200 shark fins, chameleons, Australian dragons and a Mexican amphibian, in a traffic process that could be destined for China.
Pasto news
San Juan de Pasto. The Directorate of Carabineros and Environmental Protection, in collaboration with Corponariño and the National Police, achieved the seizure of 200 shark fins that were going to be illegally exported. The finding occurred after a timely call for a warning of a transport company, which allowed to intercept the load, which came from La Guajira and had as its final destination the port of Tumaco, in the department of Nariño.
The load, packed in 10 boxes and sent under the plus modality, was composed of shark fins of different species, which could belong to 4 or 5 shark species, some of them with sizes up to 5 meters long.
According to the authorities, it is estimated that for the extraction of these fins around 50 sharks were sacrificed. This type of traffic, which seeks to supply international markets, has cosmetic purposes, for the manufacture of products such as collagen and aphrodisiacs, mainly destined for China.
Through a detailed inspection, which included the use of electronic detectors, the National Police and the Ministry of Environment managed to verify that the packages contained the fins, which did not have the salvoconducts or the corresponding documentation, which constitutes a serious violation to national and international environmental regulations.
In addition to the shark fins, species such as chameleons, Australian dragons and a Mexican amphibian known as Axolotl (Salamandra in central Mexico) were also found. These species, which are also subject to illegal traffic, add to the thousands of species that, unfortunately, are marketed without the corresponding permits, putting the biodiversity and balance of ecosystems at risk.
Andrés Díaz, director of Corponariño, stressed the importance of this operation, which not only slows shark traffic, but also the illegal trade of various species. “This type of illegal traffic not only affects sharks, but also endangers other endangered species. Wildlife trafficking is punishable by law, and the sanction for those who are involved in this type of activities goes from 5 to 10 years in prison, ”said Díaz.
The National Police, together with the environmental authorities, will continue to develop operations in the terrestrial and aerial terminals of the Department of Nariño to dismantle species traffic networks and protect biodiversity. In addition, the call to citizenship is reiterated to avoid illegal trade in fauna and flora, remembering that this type of activities has devastating consequences for the environment and local fauna.
Source: Corponariño, National Police, Ministry of Environment
Made by: Leidy Lisbeth Easter Boat
