Recently in Taiyuan Customs District, in light of a criminal clue that 2 parcels posted from Taiwan were suspected of carrying state-protected animals, customs officers took control at Taiyuan International Mail Exchange and seized 58 carcasses of lizard in the inbound parcels. Through professional identification, there were 48 carcasses of green iguanas: this animal is listed in Appendix Ⅱ of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fora and Flora (CITES).  

Afterwards, customs officers quickly captured two criminal suspects involved and seized dozens of live lizards concealed by them. So far, the Customs verified a total of 173 smuggled lizards including green iguanas (China’s second-class protected animal) and monitor lizards (China’s first-class protected animal). Such lizards can transmit various epidemic diseases, posing serious harm to human beings and other animals.

Now, the seized live lizards are quarantined at local wildlife protection agency and the criminal suspects are legally prosecuted.