The DGNP detected traffic of land iguanas

[Martijn]

The DGNP detected traffic of land iguanas

Bericht uitgegeven door Iguana Specialist Group

A German citizen was detained at the airport of Baltra following the detection of four iguanas of the Galapagos sheathed inside your luggage.

The iguanas were detected using X-ray machine and a dog of the National Police. The photo shows Dirk Bender behind the ranger.

stsf-iucniguana-001.jpg (35 KiB) 6638 keer bekeken

Ranger of the Galapagos National Park Service (DGNP) detected a suspicious package during the inspection of cargo and baggage, with the x-ray machine at the airport of Baltra. With the assistance of a Dog and a Police Officer and Park Ranger in the presence of the owner of the luggage, a German citizen, was open and inside they found the first two living land iguanas.

This occurred at noon on Sunday and after determination of reptiles, species Conoluphus subcristatus, Park rangers Control and Surveillance Island sought the help of the Environmental Police to stop the German tourist Dirk Bender.

With the help of Kevin a dog, the police, were also detected two more iguanas, which like the first were in cloth bags. The tourist is being held at the Environmental Police Unit and the iguanas were moved to the Galapagos National Park Service, for the respective review by a veterinarian.

Conoluphus subcristatus - Foto: Evert Henningheim

conolophus.subcristatus.jpg (29 KiB) 6638 keer bekeken

The species Conoluphus subcristatus is within the vulnerable category of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources), due to a significant reduction or fragmentation of the population. They are also in Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which are not currently threatened species, but this pace could be soon. In 1975, Ecuador ratified the agreement signed by more than 160 countries. Only 37 species inhabit Galapagos included in the CITES appendices.

The DGNP began legal action for detainees to be tried by this flagrant offense punishable under Artikel of Section 437F and section B of the Criminal Code, who hunt, capture, collect, remove or markets, species of flora or fauna that are legally protected contravention of the laws and regulations on the subject, shall be punished with imprisonment of one to three years. Literal b) The act is committed against endangered species.
After the hearing the judge flagrantly criminal Galapagos ruled the detention of the offender for this environmental crime.

According to Fiji Times online newspaper, Dirk Bender was arrested and sentenced guilty in December last year to export a protected species of Fiji crested iguana in gestation, which shows that the German citizen is a repeat offender in these crimes.

---

Deze Dirk Bender is acht maanden geleden ook al aangehouden te Fiji in verband met de smokkel van een drachtig Fiji wijfje.

---

Afbeelding twee (Conoluphus subcristatus): Evert Henningheim

[MarcoG]

Die mag wel eens lang brommen, 2x zo kort achter elkaar, met zulke beschermde dieren

[Jan Paul]

Gewoon 30 jaar achter slot en grendel zetten, leert ie het wel af!

[anneke]

$$$$$$ is alles wat hij ziet/ zag.......Mag ook van mij jaren de bak in

[Jan Paul]

$$$$$$ is alles wat hij ziet/ zag.......Mag ook van mij jaren de bak in

Echt snugger was ie niet, had beter gewoon jonge dieren kunnen nemen.... Valt ietswat minder op.

[Evert]

Hier nog een paar binnengekomen foto's, met onder andere de hond welke getrained is om dieren op te sporen.

[nila2011]

Pfff... zulke *ssh*l*s zou je toch opsluiten in een hok met een paar flink hongerige beesten?!

[Evert]

Om het verhaal even compleet te maken tref je omnderstaand het artikel aan uit de Fiji Times.

Smuggler says sorry

Repeka Nasiko
Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Dirk Bender, right, outside the Lautoka magistrates court. Picture:BALJEET SINGH+ Enlarge this image

Dirk Bender, right, outside the Lautoka magistrates court. Picture:BALJEET SINGH

THIRTY-ONE year old German national Dirk Bender pleaded guilty to one count of exporting an endangered and protected species without a permit while appearing at the Lautoka Magistrates Court yesterday afternoon.

A first of its kind for Fiji, Mr Bender admitted to attempting to smuggle a pregnant Fiji Crested Iguana in a black knapsack on to Air Pacific flight FJ391 bound for Hong Kong.

In court yesterday, Assistant Superintendent of Police divisional prosecuting officer West SSP Anil Prasad revealed the summary of facts to Magistrate Sujeewa Nishsharka.



The court heard that on December 3 at around 8am at the Nadi International Airport, while checking into his flight for Hong Kong, a service agent was alerted by an advisory when Mr Bender's passport was swiped into the flight check in system.

Upon alerting her superiors of the advisory against Mr Bender, the service agent then asked if he was carrying any dangerous goods in his knapsack to which he said no.

After a quick search of his knapsack, Mr Bender was then handed his boarding pass for flight FJ391.

He then proceeded to international departures and cleared by security officers and then by the Immigration Primary line resulting in his passport being stamped.

However, he was stopped minutes after crossing the primary line by an immigration officer who was alerted by border police officers that the accused was suspected of smuggling a local iguana out of the country.

The officer then asked Mr Bender if he was carrying any plant or animal in his bag, to which the German replied no.

However, the immigration officer advised Mr Berger that she had reasons to believe that he was carrying something in his bag and for that he had to check his luggage. Mr Berger agreed to the check.

The court then heard that upon searching his black knapsack, the immigration officer found a live Crested Fiji Iguana packed inside a small black carry bag wrapped in a white wet cloth.

Mr Berger was then arrested and handed over to the border police.

While in police custody, Mr Berger was questioned and admitted that he had no permit to export the iguana out of Fiji.

He further stated that on November 28 this year, police had seized eight live iguanas from his hotel room and that the iguana was from the same lot that was taken by state officers.

He also admitted that he bought the iguanas from a Fijian man.

He said one iguana was left behind by the police and he kept it with him but forgot that he had it in his bag when he checked into the Nadi Airport.

Upon mitigation, Mr Berger said he was sorry and that he would never do it again.

He added he was willing to pay any fine that the court would impose on him.

Under the Endangered and Protected Species Act 2002, a person who contravenes the Act is liable to on conviction in the case of a first offence to a fine of $20,000.

Mr Berger will be remanded at the Natabua prison before his sentencing this afternoon.

[Jan Paul]

Zou niet raar opkijken als je dit figuur later weer op een beurs tegenkomt........ En die kop komt me al bekent voor, zal hij een winkel hebben? Of iets in die richting........

[Evert]

Klopt, deze man is één van de vele criminelen welke om en rond Hamm hangen. Zijn netwerk rijkt onder andere ook naar NL, kop van Noord Holland bijvoorbeeld.

[nila2011]

Vind het een misselijk figuur,,, sorry

[Jan Paul]

Klopt, deze man is één van de vele criminelen welke om en rond Hamm hangen. Zijn netwerk rijkt onder andere ook naar NL, kop van Noord Holland bijvoorbeeld.

Oke, ja dacht zijn gezicht al te herkennen, maar als ik op een beurs kom zie ik alleen maar bekende gezichten. Dus wat dat betreft wil dat nooit echt iets zeggen bij mij, ben daar blijkbaar goed in. Naam erbij is lastiger....... Dat laatste verbaast me niets nee, misselijke lui Uiterlijk ook al bijna twee druppels water........