Press release PR.RPU. P001.R01 - 2012-07-09 - No. 60

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

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.

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.