A man is facing nine years in jail and a hefty fine after he was caught with 360 sea turtle eggs hidden in his bags while travelling on a metro train.
The incident took place at Chabacano station, on Line 8 of the Metro, in Mexico City, Mexico, on 1st November.
According to the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC), officers were alerted by a passenger about a man carrying what appeared to be turtle eggs.
When the officers approached the suspect, he started acting hostile and they decided to search his luggage.
To their shock, they discovered he had been carrying a total of 360 eggs of several sea turtle species.
Wildlife experts warned that all of the sea turtle species that nest on Mexico’s beaches are considered endangered and smuggling their eggs is considered a serious crime.
The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) said: “Unfortunately, along Mexico’s coastal shores. There is a deeply rooted custom of consuming and selling sea turtle eggs.
“The extraction of eggs from nesting beaches causes irreparable harm to the environment, as it reduces turtle populations by decreasing the number of hatchlings.”
The man was arrested and could now face a nine-year imprisonment in addition to a large fine.
The seized eggs were handed over to federal authorities, who will continue the investigation.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below. Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: newsX
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