DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - Authorities have seized more than 1,400 pieces of endangered sea turtle shells from a shipment at Miami International Airport.
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials displayed the confiscated scutes, or pieces of the outer layer of sea turtle shells, during a news conference at the FWS Office of Law Enforcement in Doral, Thursday morning.
“This is one of the largest, if not the largest, sea turtle seizures that we’ve had,” said wildlife inspector Eva Lara.
“These actual turtle shells were in transit from the Caribbean going into Asia,” said Robert Del Toro, CBP Acting Director at MIA.
“It took probably 100 sea turtles to be killed to make this illegal shipment happen,” said Lara.
Officials said it’s all part of wildlife trafficking, and the recent shipment was intercepted thanks to a multi-agency effort to disrupt and dismantle trafficking networks and bring people responsible for wildlife crimes to justice.
CBP agents said they initially discovered the shipment and reported it to FWS.
“Sea turtles are sometimes illegally killed for their shell, their meat, their skins and their eggs, which have a commercial value on the black market,” said Lara. “The United States prohibits commercial trade in endangered species, including all sea turtles.”
The scutes have distinctive design and coloring that set them apart from intact shells. The ones seized at MIA were all painted blue in an attempt to pass them off as plastic recyclables.
“Generally, you’re looking at up to five years, up to $250,000 fine for an individual,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Watts-Fitzgerald.
Officials said this particular case is just at the beginning stages of the investigation, so they did not announce any arrests.
They also said even though they see final products made out of scutes, it’s difficult to determine a dollar value.
FWS leaders said there are plans in the works to enhance their ability to fight wildlife trafficking. For now, they continue working with CBP to target shipments like these.
“Ultimately, our work will save animals so that future generations will be responsible and be able to see them in the wild where they belong,” said FWS Director Aurelia Skipwith.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.