Customs official: Souvenirs made from endangered animals cannot be brought to Estonia
A rare 500-million-year-old trilobite fossil was seized at the border after customs officials found it hidden in a cracked stone in a traveler's suitcase.
"One of the stones had a crack in it — we opened it up and discovered a fossil inside," recalled Elika Brosman, head of the Tax and Customs Board's (MTA) restrictions and prohibitions unit, describing how a 500-million-year-old trilobite was found in a traveler's suitcase at the border. "Fossils fall under second-category protection and require a permit for export. Since the person didn't have a permit, the stone was not allowed to cross the border."
In cases of serious violations, people may even be handcuffed, Brosman noted.
The fossil was handed over to the Natural History Museum. "It's truly a rare fossil. If you look closely, it's a complete trilobite body fossil, which is what qualifies it for protection under nature conservation laws. In Estonia, full-body trilobite fossils are protected because they are relatively rare," said museum geologist Karin Truuver.
Appearing on the "Ringvaade" current affairs show, Brosman said it's not always clear why people act this way. "People smuggle rare items across borders either to sell them or to display them on their fireplace mantels. People just want to own strange things," she remarked.
"Customs plays a big role in protecting society, the economy, safety and also nature. Our duty includes protecting endangered animal species and if the proper permits aren't in place, we confiscate them," Brosman said.
The customs officer showed a python skin and a bottle of alcohol containing a snake and a scorpion — items that are also prohibited from crossing the border. "Endangered animal species, whether alive or not — or whether they've been turned into a drink, a wallet or a medicinal cream — can only be brought across borders with the proper documentation. The more endangered the species, the more valuable the item on the black market."
"It's worth checking before you travel whether something is from a protected species. In the shop of some exotic country, they'll gladly tell you there's no issue — go ahead and buy it — but problems can arise both when leaving that country and when entering the European Union," Brosman warned.
Confiscated items are used by the MTA as educational materials and preserved in a museum. "What matters is that confiscated objects end up in the right place and are used for education or scientific research," Brosman said.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski, Annika Remmel
Source: Ringvaade
