BRATISLAVA, May 10, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovak police, in cooperation with colleagues from Austria and Germany, seized the highest number of smuggled eggs of exotic birds in the history of the European Union. The smuggled consignment contained 74 eggs of Amazon parrots of critically endangered species and have been placed under the strictest protection. Marian P. and Roland P. from the Nitra County wanted to transport them from Jamaica to Slovakia and subsequently sell them to clients across Europe. Their potential profit would have reached between EUR 280,000 to over EUR 1 million. The police accused them of the offense of violation of the law on flora and fauna protection, for which they can face a prison term of one to five years. If they are proven to be part of an organized group, the sentence can be extended to three to eight years. The seized eggs were taken to the Austrian zoo at Schonbrunn. Meanwhile, 54 parrots have already hatched. In Europe, one such egg is sold for EUR 4,000 to EUR 15,000, depending on the species.
The international police action was initiated by the Nitra County police that found out that Marian P. and Roland P. traveled to the Caribbean island with the aim to purchase eggs of protected birds. The Nitra County police director Pavol Sramek informed at a press meeting on Tuesday that specialists from the Environmental Criminal Offenses Department of the Criminal Police Office of the Police Force Presidium were invited to join the investigation. They intermediated international cooperation with the police and customs offices of Austria, Germany and France.
SITA
