FCS officers foiled an attempt to export 12 Himalayan bear paws to DPRK

Employees of the Federal Customs Service (FCS) in Vladivostok foiled an attempt to export 12 Himalayan bear paws to the DPRK. This was reported by the press service of the agency on December 17.

It is specified that the DPRK citizen passed through the "green corridor", but during the inspection of his luggage inspectors revealed a box wrapped in black film, inside which there were thermopacks with frozen paws of the predator.

"The examination established that these were fragments of Himalayan bear paws with skin, fur and claws. This species falls under the CITES Convention and is allowed for export when filling out a passenger customs declaration and having an authorization document from Rosprirodnadzor," reads the message published in the Telegram channel of the Federal Customs Service.

Two cases of administrative offenses were initiated against the foreigner - under Part 1 of Article 16.2 ("Non-declaration of goods") and Article 16.3 ("Non-compliance with prohibitions and restrictions").

The man faces a fine with possible confiscation of goods.

The day before it became known that 63-year-old resident of St. Petersburg, accused of smuggling the skull and two fragments of the lower jaw of a fossilized woolly rhinoceros, approved a guilty verdict. In 2022, the man purchased the remains of a rhinoceros and for further resale sent them abroad through the post office, having submitted a customs declaration with false information.