Staff Report
Published Aug. 12, 2009

U.S. Customs and Border Protection have seized more than 70 endangered wildlife items at the Port of Charleston from cargo arriving from Sweden and the United Kingdom, the federal agency announced Tuesday.

Customs agricultural specialists discovered the items in six separate cargo shipments of antiques. The prohibited items discovered included hunting trophies, a giant clam shell, a sea turtle shell, deer antlers and skulls, ivory piano keys and assorted stuffed animal mounts.

The items were seized because the importer failed to file a completed Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or Wildlife, Customs said in a statement. In addition, the importer was in violation of regulations from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in regard to the turtle and clam shells.

All of the items are also protected under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the primary agency responsible for enforcing both federal acts. Customs, as the nation’s border agency, works closely with the Fish and Wildlife Service to carry out the laws.

The goal of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species is to ensure that the international trade of animals does not threaten their survival.

“These interceptions are an excellent example of CBP’s commitment to partnership with other federal agencies and a positive step toward reducing the illegal international trafficking of protected and endangered species,” said Robert Fencel, area port director in Charleston.