THE INDEPENDENT (Johannesburg, S Africa) 14 November 06 Man nabbed for smuggling crocs in baggage
Manila (Sapa-Dpa): Philippine airport authorities on Tuesday arrested a Filipino man for trying to smuggle three live Siamese crocodiles from Cambodia.
The crocodiles, measuring approximately 45cm long, were found in the baggage of Enrique Castillo upon his arrival at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The customs examiner also seized two bottles of vanda orchid cultures from Castillo's bags, according to NAIA General Manager Alfonso Cusi.
Castillo falsely declared the contents of his baggage as live fish, Cusi said.
"We strongly remind passengers to avoid bringing in quarantine products or items as these are highly prohibited under existing laws," Cusi said.
"All imported fruits, fresh meat products and aquatic animals are not allowed without the necessary permit from the Philippines," he added.
Cusi said Castillo has been turned over to NAIA wildlife officers for proper disposition for violating the Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species.
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=qw1163490661108B214

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON (Manila, Philippines) 15 November 06 3 buwaya nasabat sa NAIA (Butch Quejada)
Binigo ng mga alertong kagawad ng Bureau of Customs at DENR ang tangka ng isang pasahero na ipuslit sa bansa ang tatlong piraso ng Siamese crocodile at wild orchid nang masakote ito sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Ayon sa report, ang tatlong Siamese crocodile na tinatayang may habang dalawang talampakan at nagmula pa sa Cambodia at dalawang bote ng wild orchid ay tinangkang ipuslit ng pasaherong si Enrique Yu Castillo Jr. ng Better Living, Parañaque City. Si Castillo ay dumating sa NAIA dakong alas-8:30 ng gabi noong Lunes lulan ng Singapore Airlines flight SQ-076.
Nabatid na isang impormante mula sa NAIA Wildlife Unit ng DENR ang nakipag-ugnayan sa posibleng pagdating ng nabanggit na pasahero dala ang kargamento.
Itinuturong si Castillo ang magsisilbing courier ng itinuturing na endagered species. Sa isinagawang pagsisiyasat, hindi idineklara ni Castillo ang dala nitong reptilya, sa halip sinabi nitong mga buhay lamang itong isda.
Kasalukuyang nakapiit ang suspect at pormal nang ipinagharap ng kasong paglabag sa probisyon ng Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species, habang ang nabawing buwaya ay ipinasailalim na sa pangangalaga ng DENR para sa kaukulang disposisyon.
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/PINOY200611157102.htm

DER SPIEGEL (Hamburg, Germany) 15 November 06 Krokodile im Handgepäck
(Dab/AP) Das Gepäck des Passagiers wirkte verdächtig. Als die Zöllner am Flughafen in Singapur einen ankommenden Reisenden kontrollierten, fanden sie in seiner Tasche drei lebende Reptilien - gleichermaßen gefährlich wie gefährdet.
Manila - Der Fluggast, ein Philippiner, war mit drei Krokodilen von Kambodscha bis nach Manila geflogen. Erst nach dem Ausstieg aus seiner Maschine fiel er den Zöllnern auf, wie die Behörden heute mitteilten. Der 50-Jährige erklärte, er habe lebendige Fische im Gepäck.
Gefunden wurden jedoch die drei unter Artenschutz stehenden siamesischen Krokodile mit einer Länge von je einem halben Meter. Die Reptilien wurden beschlagnahmt. Wie es dem Mann gelang, die Tiere unbemerkt von Phnom Penh über Singapur bis nach Manila zu transportieren, blieb zunächst unklar.
http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,448502,00.html