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A parcel containing a live leopard gecko from Thailand was seized by the Bureau of Customs in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
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Approximately worth P20,000, the leopard gecko entered the country without an import permit
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The leopard gecko is a regulated species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna and protected under the Philippine Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act
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The DENR and BOC will pursue prosecution of the importer and co-conspirators
A parcel containing a live leopard gecko from Thailand was seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Ninoy Aquino International Airport in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on July 5, 2021.
The parcel arrived at a Pasay warehouse without the required import permit from the DENR, prompting the conduct of a 100% physical examination. The leopard gecko is worth about P20,000, BOC said in a statement.
According to DENR, the gecko is a species regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna and protected under Republic Act (RA) No. 9147, otherwise known as the Philippine Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. Its collection from the wild, as well as its trade, requires an import permit from the Biodiversity Management Bureau under the DENR.
Violation of RA 9147 is punishable by imprisonment of up to four years and a fine of up to P300,000.
The seized leopard gecko will be subjected to seizure and forfeiture proceedings for violation of Section 1113 (Property Subject to Seizure and Forfeiture) in relation to Section 117 (Regulated Importation and Exportation)of RA 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), and Section 11 of RA 9147.
The seized animal was turned over to DENR.
The DENR will pursue prosecution against the importer and co-conspirators for violation of RA 9147, while the Bureau Action Team Against Smugglers of BOC will be tapped to conduct case build-up and prosecution for violation of Section 1401 (Unlawful Importation or Exportation) of RA 10863.
