Haiti - France : Record seizure of tortoiseshell from Haiti
The French Customs officers discovered and seized at Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport (North East of Paris), thousands of turtle scales of contraband, from Haiti to Vietnam. The turtle scales were concealed in 13 packages bearing the identification "molds for helmets and pucks..."
The scales of this record seizure, valued at more than 300,000 euros, originated from an estimated 400 sea turtles "Eretmochelys imbricata" or hawksbill turtle, a protected species since 1970 by the "United States Fish and Wildlife Service" that some countries like Haiti, Cuba and Indonesia do not comply. The Scallop Turtle is one of the species most threatened with extinction and whose trade is strictly forbidden since 1992 including from naturally dead turtles.
Turtle Scales are used amongst others in the manufacture of pendants, rings, eyeglass frames, and for decorating various valuable personal items.
Nicolas Hulot, the French Minister of Ecology, traveled in person to Roissy to welcome this historic seizure.
