Fifteen Dead Pangolins Seized From Suitcase At Barajas Airport

Fifteen dead pangolins have been discovered wrapped in plastic inside a female passenger’s suitcase after arriving on a flight to Spain.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked mammals.

The seizure took place at Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport in Madrid, the Spanish capital, on 16th February, after the luggage arrived on a flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Guardia Civil officers said in a 26th February statement that were carrying out routine inspections on passengers when an X-ray scan of a woman’s suitcase revealed unusual tones and densities inside the baggage that drew their attention.

The suitcase was opened in front of its owner, where officers found 15 dead specimens of a pangolin subspecies concealed inside and wrapped in plastic. The animals had a combined weight of 40 kilogrammes (88 lbs).

The Guardia Civil said the operation formed part of its role in preventing and pursuing smuggling, drug trafficking, fraud and other fiscal offences under the authority of customs officials.

The pangolins are listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which strictly regulates international trade in protected species.

The passenger is being investigated as a suspected perpetrator of a crime against wildlife. The seized animals have been transferred to the national CITES authority for study, cataloguing and valuation.

The Guardia Civil stated: “The illegal trafficking of protected species constitutes a serious threat to biodiversity and may be punishable by prison sentences and fines, in accordance with the provisions of the Penal Code.”