On the Trail - Robin des Bois

Seahorses Sea
Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) are all listed under
Appendix II.
Seizure of 6 kg of seahorses
Khaprail, State of West Bengal, India
August 6, 2013
The seizure took place at an individual’s home. The
seahorses, probably taken from the Indian coast,
were in the process of being illegally smuggled to
China. About 600 individuals. Authorities had been
warned of the trafficking by 3 suspects arrested
while in possession of pangolin scales on July 31 in
Siliguri.
Seizure of 14 kg of seahorses
Sindhupalchok, Central Development Region,
Nepal
19 th September 2013
The caravans travel from India to China via Nepal
and through Tibet with scales, dried gall bladders,
furs and claws and from time to time the customs
officers hit lucky. The 1400 seahorses, so far from
the sea, were hidden in little gas cylinders.
Queen Conch
Common Seahorse © David R
Seizure of 164 dried seahorses
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Province
of Zhejiang, China
July 1 st , 2013
The seahorses were hidden in the luggage of a
passenger coming from Malawi. The origin is unknown.
Dead seahorses are used in traditional medicine
for alleged aphrodisiac virtues and in food
products and alive for aquaria.
Seizure of nearly 10 kg of dried seahorses (about
1,000 specimens)
Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
July 2013
Customs officers seized the 1,000 seahorses in a
parcel post.
1.000 ! © Xinmin
© sea-kangaroo
Seizure of 300 kg of queen conch (Strombus gigas,
Appendix II)
Port of Prêcheur, Martinique, France
September 26, 2013
Queen conch, known as lambis in the Caribbean
islands, is listed in Appendix II of CITES in 1992.
The snail eats vegetal waste, grass and algae. It is
a waste regulator and contributes to the maintenance
and overall productivity of seagrass beds. Its
disappearance or simply its decline would have a
considerable impact on the marine food web and
on fisheries in the 25 countries or territories of the
Caribbean Sea.
300 kg of queen conch were seized near the port
of Prêcheur in Martinique following an intervention
by customs officers, state police forces, maritime
department forces and the DAAF (Department for
Food, Agriculture and Forests). A warrant of infringement
was issued for purchase and transport of
sea products in prohibited size and weight. The
accused are liable to a 22,500 euros fine.
On The Trail # 2. Robin des Bois
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