CAIRO: Customs officers at the General Administration of Air Exports at Cairo Airport foiled an attempt to smuggle sea snakes to the UAE.

The seized animals were shown to the Lakes and Fish Resources Protection and Development Agency. The agency confirmed that the parcels did does not have an export approval or a CITES certificate, which regulates the trade in specimens of species.

Ahmed Abdel Mohsen El-Shahawi, director-general of the Air Exports and Imports Customs, issued a customs seizure report and notified authorities.

Legal measures are underway in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 102 of 1983 to implement Egypt’s accession to the CITES convention, Egyptian Environmental Law No. 4 of 1994 and its amendments: Ministerial Resolution No. 1150 of 1999, Customs Law No. 207 of 2020, and Import and Export Law No. 118 of 1975.

In November, customs officers, led by El-Shahawi, thwarted an attempt to smuggle ivory statues, which are prohibited from being exported or traded.

The seizure came as customs officer Ramadan Abu Raya became suspicious of 31 parcels listed in export documents as personal belongings.

When the parcels were inspected by a committee led by Mohammed Kamal, director of an investigation unit, it was found that there were two elephant statues as well as a gazelle statue.

When these were presented to the Wildlife Department, it was confirmed that the statues and bases were in ivory, and legal measures were taken.

Separately, customs officers in the first department of Terminal 2 at Cairo International Airport foiled an attempt to smuggle dental implants and cosmetics into the country.