National Revenue Administration officers from Rzeszów have prevented an attempt to smuggle five live peregrine falcons from Ukraine into Poland. They detained a 57-year-old man at a border crossing in Medyka and charged him with animal cruelty. Also criminal proceedings have been launched against the smuggler.
"The birds were being transported in inhumane conditions, kept in luggage with their wings, talons, and beaks tied up. To prevent them from drawing attention during vehicle inspection, they were most likely intoxicated with sleep-inducing drugs," said National Revenue Administration Chief's spokesperson Justyna Pasieczyńska.
Even hundreds of thousands zlotys for one falcon
The seized birds are peregrine falcons, a species protected under the Washington Convention (CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, also known as the Washington Convention). One of them is a approx. 2-year-old male, whereas the remaining four are females younger than 12 months each. "A black market price of the smuggled specimens can reach even hundreds of thousands zlotys per bird," Pasieczyńska explained.
She added the birds could have been recently captured in their natural habitat, because they weren't tamed. These peregrine falcons live in Finland and Norway, and they migrate to Odessa region in Ukraine.
National Revenue Administration officers took the birds to an animal rehabilitation centre, where the falcons will remain until the court decides about their future.
Smuggler faces 5 years in prison
Illegal transportation of threatened species across EU borders is a crime carries a prison sentence from 3 months up to 5 years.
Criminal proceedings have been launched against the 57-year-old driver who tried to smuggle the falcons. The man has been also charged with animal cruelty. The indictiment in his case has been already referred to the court.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: Izba Administracji Skarbowej w Rzeszowie