Wild excavations in Morocco: fossils worth thousands of euros blocked by French customs

The search of the vehicle at the Orsetti maritime station revealed a heterogeneous and very valuable cargo. Among the undeclared items were ammonites, trilobites and even a sawfish skeleton. These pieces are suspected to come from wild excavations in Morocco, a practice that feeds organized criminal networks. On specialized markets, the value of some of these specimens can reach several thousand euros per unit, justifying the strict restrictions governing their international trade, reports the Midi Libre.

The goods have been immediately impounded pending an official assessment. The state services must now authenticate the pieces, determine their age and assess their exact price. For the time being, the carriers have not been sanctioned, the investigation having to specify the exact origin of the cargo.

This operation also made it possible to save two turtles, illegally transported during the same disembarkation. These animals, endangered and protected by the Washington Convention, were traveling without the mandatory CITES certificate. Customs have recalled that this traffic, whether it is cultural heritage or biodiversity, seriously damages global resources.