Saturday, July 21, 2007

endangered plants and species are smuggled across South African borders

Smugglers plundering SA heritage
Sunday Argus July 15 2007
Myrtle Ryan
http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2004/july/biopiracy.htm

THE LIFEBLOOD of South Africa's natural heritage could be leaking away as ivory, rhino-horn, perlemoen, endangered plants and species are smuggled across our borders.
A combined exercise between the Environmental Management Inspectorate, SARS, Customs and the SAPS Border Police last week high lighted just what the country's environmental law enforcement officers are up against, as they seized a suitcase stuffed with four rhino horns off an international flight at the airport.
"If this is, the kind of contraband passing through our borders undetected on a daily basis environmental criminals could be having a field day,"
read the full report

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