Primate skulls likely meant for collectors and hunting clubs in the US, where they are reportedly given as gifts and prizes.
Customs officials at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris say they have seized almost 400 skulls from protected monkey species over seven months last year.
Customs agents at the French capital’s largest airport said on Thursday that they intercepted 392 posted packages from May to December 2022 containing primate skulls mostly from Cameroon and destined for recipients in the United States.
They also seized hundreds more packages with skulls or bones from other species. None of the items seized included any legal authorisations for the sale of protected species, customs said.
“Trafficking in protected species is one of the most lucrative trades after drugs, weapons and people trafficking,” airport customs chief Gilbert Beltran told reporters as he displayed hundreds of skulls, jaws and horns from protected species.
This “sordid” business generates 8 billion to 20 billion euros ($8.5bn to $21.3bn) per year, Beltran said.
According to news reports, the skulls were likely destined for collectors and hunting clubs in the US, where the skulls are presented as gifts or prizes.
Some of the packages also contained whole animals or forearms with hands.
No wonder my monkey skulls haven’t arrived yet.