Romanian customs inspectors and border police have discovered four monkeys being transported without the required legal documents in a car entering the country through the Moravița border crossing. The primates, which are protected under international wildlife trade rules, were handed over to veterinary authorities.

The discovery was made on the morning of July 17 during a joint inspection by customs officers from the Moravița Border Customs Office and border police officers at the Moravița border crossing in Timiș County.

According to the Romanian Customs Authority, three Ukrainian women arrived at the crossing in a car registered in Ukraine. During the inspection, officers found two boxes containing four live monkeys in the vehicle's trunk.

“The investigation established that the animals belonged to the driver of the vehicle, a 47-year-old woman. She stated that she had inherited the monkeys from her mother, who had recently passed away. The woman was unable to present the legal documents regarding the animals' origin, ownership, and transport, providing the authorities only with a photograph of a document that she claimed was an import certificate for the primates from Syria to Ukraine,” the authorities said.

The Customs Authority noted that primates are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and their import into the European Union is permitted only with the appropriate documentation required under EU and national legislation.

The four monkeys were transferred to the Timiș County Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate to ensure they receive proper care, while the competent authorities continue their investigation into the case.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Autoritatea Vamală Română)