Illegal import of more than 4,000 Argentine fossils of great paleontological value prevented at the Port of Valencia
Joint operation of the Tax Agency and the National Police
- Two people have been charged in Argentina for the illegal export of fossil remains from the Río Negro Museum
- The five dinosaur eggs found alone would have a value on the black market of more than 150,000 euros
October 7, 2020 .- The Tax Agency, together with the National Police, has thwarted an illegal import of fossils of great paleontological value from the Argentine region of Río Negro at the Port of Valencia. This action has prevented the import of more than 4,000 fossil pieces, including five dinosaur eggs that are believed to be worth more than 150,000 euros on the black market. Two people have been charged in Argentina with illegally exporting fossil remains from the Río Negro Museum.
The operation began at the end of January, with the receipt by the Customs and Excise Department of the Tax Agency of a complaint filed with the World Customs Organization (WCO) by the Argentine customs authorities, in which collaboration was requested for the detection, detention and recognition of an export of personal property destined for the Port of Valencia.
Subsequently, through the computer applications and tools available to the Customs Surveillance investigators of the Tax Agency, it was possible to determine the container that contained the stolen pieces of Argentine Heritage.
The container, unloaded at the Port of Valencia at the end of February, was subjected to an initial visual inspection of the contents at the ship's door, which allowed the method of introduction of the goods into national territory to be determined. Subsequently, a thorough physical examination was ordered with a total discharge scheduled for the beginning of the following month.
During this second physical inspection of the entire container, officials from the Customs Risk Analysis Unit and the Customs Surveillance Operational Unit of the Tax Agency in Valencia were able to observe the existence of various remains that could easily coincide with the fossils stolen from the Argentine heritage, as well as multiple specimens of animals protected by the CITES Convention on the control of international trade in protected species.
Following inspection, the fossil remains were loaded back into the container to await analysis by an expert in fossils and paleontological remains. For their part, the CITES specimens were deposited in the warehouses of the Port of Valencia for control by the competent CITES Authorities.
Eggs and complete dinosaur specimens
Finally, a third physical inspection of the container was carried out in the presence of the Director of the Natural Sciences Museum of the City of Valencia and a doctor who is an expert in dinosaur fossils.
During this inspection, in addition to observing remains ready for sale, fossils of extremely high value were also observed, both for the degree of preservation and for the characteristics of the fossil itself. As an example, a horse tooth was found, which showed that they originated in America and spread from there to the rest of the world through the Bering Strait; or several specimens of dinosaur eggs with a very high degree of preservation; or a complete dinosaur specimen.
Many of these pieces were hidden using stones of different sizes, shapes and colours to avoid customs controls, so that all the pieces would pass for remains with no paleontological value. Dinosaur eggs alone could be worth more than 150,000 euros on the black market.
This action to restitute cultural property has taken place under the bilateral Convention on the restitution of cultural property and the Convention to prohibit and prevent the import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property, as well as the Unidroit Convention on stolen or illegally exported cultural property.
Currently, all the merchandise transported in the container from Argentina (fossils, minerals and CITES species) is in the Port of Valencia at the disposal of the Argentine Authorities to be repatriated after authorization from the competent Judicial Authority.
The operation, called 'Corsario', has had the international collaboration of the WCO and Interpol and, at a national level, of the General Subdirectorate of Customs Surveillance Operations of the Tax Agency, the Historical Heritage Brigade of the Central Unit for Specialized and Violent Crime of the National Police, the Investigation Team of Smuggling and Tax and Customs Fraud of the Regional Area of Customs Surveillance of Valencia and the Robbery and Heritage Group of the Superior Police Headquarters of Valencia, as well as the General Subdirectorate of Records and Documentation of Historical Heritage of the Ministry of Culture and Sport and the Museum of Natural Sciences of Valencia.