Dubai- Mr. Abdul Rahman Al Saleh, the senior Executive Director of Corporate Affairs at Dubai Customs detected a number of attempts last year to smuggle and bring into the country rare animals in.
This was announced at the press conference held on Wednesday 14th January 2009 at Dubai Customs main building with Mr. Yousif Al Sahlawi, Executive Director of Customs Policies and Legislations and Mr. Mohammed Al Marri, Executive Director of Customs cargo Operations taking part and presence of a number of media representatives and Arab and International news agencies correspondents.
Mr. Al Saleh announced the discovery of attempts to bring into Dubai or re-export rare animals' products including endangered lions, smuggled ivory, stuffed crocodiles, rare birds, deers, falcons and stuffed foxes by a number of traders and clients dealing with such internationally banned articles under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and international laws prohibiting trade in endangered species of animals.
"Dubai Customs being committed to international laws and agreements and the Common Customs Law of the GCC States is committed to stop all attempts to bring into the country prohibited products including endangered animals manufactured products", he affirmed.
Mr. AL Saleh pointed out that UAE accession to CITES, which controls trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora as to protect human natural legacy, was in 1990.
CITES and annexes thereof determines the levels of trade in any species included therein and regulates movement and passage of wild species and products thereof across international borders whether or not for commercial or personal purposes.
"Unfair hunting and illegitimate trade in animals threaten world biological balance and lead to extinction of living beings whose existence in earth might have exceeded the existence of man himself", he said.
From his part, Mr. Yousif Al Sahlawi stated that "the UAE complying with CITES and recognizing the importance of maintaining worldwide animals and plants wealth in general and UAE in particular, has issued the Federal Law No. (11) Of 2002 to regulate and control international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora. A guide identifying the most important species of animals and plants being popular in international trade and wild life particularly those existing in UAE, was issued as well".
Mr. Mohammed Al Marri confirmed that "Dubai Customs demonstrates special interest in combating smuggling of prohibited and restricted goods including endangered animals. To this end, a number of workshops introducing the danger of such products and methods of discovering them to inspectors have been conducted. Dubai Customs uses the latest technologies and equipments in the world to prohibit entry of these products into Dubai and seeks to develop the appropriate plans forbidding smuggling of prohibited and restricted goods and those requiring a procedure as the relevant restrictions and controls have been circulated to all respective customs centers."
He added that "Dubai Customs has implemented an electronic system for restriction and prohibition linked with customs tariff mainly aiming at regulating the provisions and principles of implementing restriction and prohibition of goods and those requiring a procedure in a manner ensuring their accurate implementation according to the Common Customs Law of the GCC States and other laws and agreements in order to protect Dubai's economic, social and environmental security."
Worth mentioning, the World Customs Organization (WCO) designated 15 January 2009 as a day for intensifying efforts and tightening measures for combating smuggling of endangered species of animals and plants. Dubai Customs plans to participate in such Day by providing effective initiatives to be presented during the activities of Customs International Day on 26th January 2009, which set to be held under the theme of "Customs and Environment - Protection of Natural Legacy".
The international trade in wild life estimated to be worth billion of dollars per annum including hundred millions of species of fauna and flora. It is a divergent type of trade ranging from live animals and plants to a great number of wild life derived products thereof including food products, leather articles, musical instruments, tourism antiquities and other products that only consider making rapid earnings at the expense of life diversity itself.
-Ends-
For more information please contact:
Yousef AlFeel
Media Relation- Communication Dept. - Dubai Customs
Mob: 050 6966522
Tel: 04 3023540
Fax: 04 3456010
Email: Yousef.alfeel@dubaicustoms.ae
© Press Release 2009
