A crocodile seized by Customs officers in East China's Jiangsu Province. Photo: China's General Administration of Customs

Customs officers in East China's Jiangsu Province recently discovered a passenger carrying a crocodile head to enter the country, China's General Administration of Customs said on January 2.

Officers identified an anomaly in the passenger's luggage through X-ray scanning as they passed through the green channel at Nanjing Lukou International Airport during an routine inspection of inbound flights on December 30, 2024.

Further examination revealed the passenger was transporting one crocodile head weighing approximately 0.85 kilograms.

According to the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, all species of the order Crocodyliformes are protected under the Convention. The seized item has been withheld by customs in accordance with the regulations.

It is prohibited to trade, carry or mail endangered species and their products into or out of the country, except for the lawful possession of certificates of permissible import and export issued by national import and export management agencies for endangered species, according to the regulations.

Global Times