Polish customs officials intercept illegal wildlife shipments

Customs authorities in Poland have intercepted two separate attempts to smuggle protected wildlife species into the country.

In Koroszczyn, officers inspecting a truck arriving from Belarus discovered 41 live lizards hidden in the driver's cabin and the trailer's cooling unit. The shipment included various species, such as Goniurosaurus, Calotes, and Lacerta, some of which are protected under the CITES convention. The 41-year-old Belarusian driver reportedly purchased the animals online in Russia and intended to sell them in Poland for 3,000 euros. The estimated market value of the lizards is approximately 100,000 PLN.

Separately, at Bydgoszcz Airport, officials conducting a routine check on a passenger returning from Egypt discovered seven fragments of coral reef in a carry-on bag. The coral, weighing 75 grams, is a reef-building species protected by CITES and EU regulations. The traveler claimed the items were collected from a beach as souvenirs. An investigation into the incident is being conducted by customs investigators in Toruń.