Italian Authorities Seize Endangered Crocodile Head Hidden in Passenger’s Baggage
The passenger could face up to a year in prison over one seriously questionable souvenir.
Italian airport authorities discovered a dried head belonging to an endangered crocodile concealed inside a passenger’s luggage. The unusual find at Turin’s Caselle Airport has now landed the traveler under investigation for allegedly smuggling a protected species into the country without the required documentation.
UPI reported that the Italian man had traveled from Miami through Istanbul before arriving in Turin. Officials from Italy’s financial police were working alongside customs authorities as part of increased checks targeting the illegal trade of protected and endangered species when they searched the passenger’s baggage.
What they found inside was more unusual than an oversized bottle of shampoo. Authorities said the crocodile head had been dried and wrapped in ordinary wrapping paper, which they said allowed it to evade security checks in the country where the journey began. For some reason, airport headlines keep getting stranger by the minute, as this one entails an actual head.
That’s One Way to Lose Your Souvenir at Customs
Border authorities seized the reptile head, while the passenger was placed under investigation for allegedly smuggling a specimen from a protected species without the necessary certificate or license.
If convicted, the traveler could face considerably more than having his unusual luggage confiscated. Authorities said the offense carries a potential fine ranging from 20,000 to 200,000 euros, or between six months and one year in prison.
Crocodiles are among the species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, commonly known as CITES or the Washington Convention. The international agreement regulates trade involving endangered plants and animals to prevent commerce from threatening their survival.
Customs Probably Wasn’t Expecting This Head Count
While finding a crocodile head inside someone’s suitcase might sound like the beginning of a particularly strange crime movie, dried crocodile heads can actually be sold as souvenirs. UPI noted that the items are commonly found in souvenir shops in Florida, where the passenger’s journey originated. They might not be the same as keeping exotic pets, but there are legalities to keep in mind.
That doesn’t mean travelers can simply toss one into their luggage and head overseas, though. Protected wildlife and products made from those animals can be subject to international trade restrictions, which is precisely why Italian authorities have been increasing checks involving endangered species.
As for this particular passenger, authorities have not disclosed why he was traveling with the dried reptile head or whether he knew about the documentation requirements. For now, the owner’s baggage has earned considerably more attention at customs than he probably anticipated. From the looks of things, that is one crocodile he won’t be seeing in a while.
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