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Charlotte — U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialist at Charlotte Douglas International Airport made three separate seizures of prohibited coral species during the month of January, officials announced today. In total, the seizures netted 46 pieces of coral species. Coral is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

The first seizure occurred on January 15, as CBP agriculture specialists discovered a total of 6 pieces of coral species in the baggage of two passengers arriving from Saint Maarten. A third passenger arriving from Grand Cayman on January 17 was found to have 40 pieces of coral species in their luggage. In all three cases, the coral species were seized and turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Coral is a protected species under CITES. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the primary agency responsible for enforcing CITES in the United States. CBP, as the nation’s border agency, works closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife to ensure CITES is enforced at every port of entry in the United States. The goal of CITES is to ensure that international trade in animals does not threaten their survival. Under CITES, both the exporter and importer need to comply with the Convention’s requirements and be certified in the trade of any part of an animal covered by the Convention.

“CBP at the ports of entry in the state of North Carolina have always maintained a very strong working relationship with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Patty Fitzpatrick, area port director in Charlotte. Through a cooperative effort, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has done an outstanding job of cross training CBP officers in order to enforce CITES trade permits properly. Together, we will continue to work diligently in an effort to ensure that international trade laws are protected.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.