News
A man smuggled 175 chameleons and 10 tortoises from Thailand to Croatia
Published: 05.04.2007. [ link ]
ZAGREB, Croatia, April 3 Croatian customs officers stopped a 25-year-old man at Zagreb airport who was trying to smuggle 175 chameleons and 10 tortoises from Thailand.The man, a Croatian whose name was not released, arrived in the Croatian capital Sunday by plane from Budapest, Hungary, carrying the reptiles in his suitcases, the Vecernji List daily of Zagreb reported Tuesday.
Croatian animal protection officials said the reptiles are protected species. Zagreb police said the man told customs officers he had bought the animals on a market in Bangkok for about $150, but declined to say what he was going to do with them.
Croatian officials estimated the animals were worth about $200,000. During the trip from Thailand to Croatia, seven chameleons died and 15 were in very poor condition on arrival in Zagreb.
Customs officers have charged the man with violating import laws, the Croatian news agency HINA said.