(haipo) Customs inspectors at Ben Gurion Airport, in cooperation with veterinary services inspectors at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Nature and Parks Authority, thwarted an attempt to smuggle about 20 special species of parrots that were discovered in five different cages in the suitcase of an Israeli citizen returning from Poland. The value of the parrots is estimated at tens of thousands of shekels, and criminal proceedings have been opened against the suspect.
Green Line passenger caught with birds in his dashcam
The suspect, an Israeli citizen in his 20s, attempted to pass with his luggage through the green lane in the passenger hall at Ben Gurion Airport, a passage that constitutes a declaration that the passenger does not have goods that require a customs declaration. The customs inspector approached the passenger and asked him to place his luggage on the conveyor belt of the scanning device, where the birds were observed. The luggage was taken for a physical inspection, during which 20 parrots were found packed in difficult conditions in five cages. Upon discovery of the parrots, inspectors from the Veterinary Services at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security were called to the scene, who examined the animals' health and transferred them for further veterinary treatment. After completing the necessary tests and treatment, the birds were returned to their country of origin. The suspect was detained for questioning, and the investigation is being conducted by the Central Enforcement and Investigations Unit (CIU) at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
"Animal smuggling – harm to their welfare and risk to public health"
Dr. Shlomo Grazi, Chief Veterinarian for Import and Export of Animals at the Veterinary Services at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, He said, "Animal smuggling is not only a violation of the law, but also a serious violation of animal welfare and a real risk to public health. Animals smuggled into Israel are often kept in difficult and inappropriate conditions, without veterinary supervision and causing unnecessary suffering. In addition, they do not undergo the required veterinary examinations and supervision and may carry diseases that do not exist in the country."
"Cooperation between state agencies to prevent wildlife smuggling"
Ben Rosenberg, Director of the Division for the Protection of Flora and Fauna at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, noted that "in the crimes of smuggling wild animals, there are violations of many laws." According to him, the cooperation between the state's branches: Customs, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Nature and Parks Authority and other factors, helps prevent harm to wild animals, the introduction of parasites and zoonotic diseases, and the entry of invasive species that may harm local nature and cause great damage to agriculture. Rosenberg added that these are also customs offenses, money laundering and animal cruelty, and that "the quick work of customs succeeded in preventing the birds from entering the country and returning them to Europe."
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