Customs intercept 2578 dead sea horses at Schiphol Airport

News item | 02-02-2012

On Saturday, 21 January, Customs stopped and questioned a passenger. The passenger had 2578 dead sea horses hidden in her suitcase.

The passenger is a 39-year old woman originating from Peru. She arrived with a flight from Lima and was passing through on her way to Hong Kong. When her transfer luggage was inspected, Customs found the dead sea horses. The woman was waylaid at the gate and arrested.

This passenger was transferred to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) in order to investigate this case in further detail. The woman stated that she had bought the sea horses on the market in Lima. It is suspected that the dead sea horses were to be used as an ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The woman has been detained in police custody. After having paid an on-the-spot fine, she could continue her way.

Sea horses (Hippocampus) are a protected animal species and the trade therein is regulated. The (commercial) trade in more than 30,000 kinds of protected plants and animals has been regulated by way of permits and certificates. This has been laid down in the CITES Convention, an international convention signed by approximately 180 countries, including Peru and the EU Member States. When the rules are not complied with, Customs and the NVWA deal with it.