BY ARIEL FERNANDEZ
Authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) intercepted on Thursday two cobras, eight pit vipers, and 15 sailfin lizards concealed in bamboo chimes and lanterns intended for export to Taiwan at a DHL warehouse, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) announced Friday.
The package, declared as “souvenir items” by a certain Adrian Lim from Pasig City, was consigned to a certain Ryan Su of Taiwan.
The wildlife species, hidden inside native purses of bamboo chimes and lanterns, were seized by customs and airport authorities in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The confiscated wildlife animals can be sold as high as P300,000, the BoC said.
The seized cobras, pit vipers, and sailfin lizards were immediately turned over to the DENR for proper handling and disposition, profiling and case buildup against the shipper and co-conspirators in the illegal wildlife trade. (Ariel Fernandez)
