From monkeys to spiders, bees, and snakes—Customs Department officials have discovered these animals in passengers’ luggage on various occasions. This constitutes animal smuggling, which also occurs in Cyprus, as stated by George Konstantinou, Press Spokesperson for the Customs Department, during an appearance on the Alpha Kalimera program.
Mr. Konstantinou noted that they are informed through the aircraft import declaration, which is submitted to customs, and explained the procedures followed in such cases.
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When asked if there had ever been a case where Customs had raised a “red flag” regarding the import of animals from Melios Zoo, he referred to the controversial import in 2022, when, without the approval of the Veterinary Services, the zoo imported, among other animals, two giraffes, which were transported to the Paphos Zoo.
When asked who mistook jaguars for kittens, he stated that the misunderstanding involved wildcats.
“Anyone can declare that they’re bringing in anything they want—they can say ‘cat’ and bring in tigers. They can declare a tiger and bring in an elephant. It’s up to each person to declare exactly what they intend to bring. But this will be verified.”
He also points out that at Customs and at Larnaca Airport, there is a veterinary officer who inspects the animal upon arrival, and it is released only after the examination.
“There are reptiles; there are spiders. Recently, someone imported bees for breeding. There are various things we encounter, and it’s not easy for a customs officer to handle these matters. That’s why there are specialized services that we call upon in every case to handle, based on their expertise, the imports we see before us and those that are coming.”
He also refers to cases where officials have discovered animals hidden in luggage.
“We’ve even had spiders and snakes come through—we were once told that people were hiding monkeys in their luggage to take home. Just as some people risk smuggling drugs, so too do they smuggle animals.”
When asked to respond to allegations of animal confiscation and killing, Petros Anagiotos, Press Spokesperson for the Game and Wildlife Service, Mr. Anagiotos stated that the competent authorities are doing their job.
“Everyone needs to know that this case—its handling—is not simply a mathematical equation like 1+1=2. It is a complex process; there are so many factors that must be taken into account; we must find facilities for the animals before proceeding with the demolition of any illegal structures that have been erected—both in certain areas and on state-owned land.”
Commenting on the statements made by the owner of Melios Zoo, he emphasizes that the owner should tell the whole truth and not conceal it.
“It is worth noting that yesterday he posted a court ruling on social media. That was just the tail end of the court’s decision. The gist of the court’s decision is that the owner of the property in question had been convicted of very specific offenses: illegal possession of hawks, possession of snares, possession of nets, and possession of steel traps, which he may have used to capture birds and then sell them. And what he presented was a ruling regarding certain birds that were confiscated, and the court was not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that these were wild birds or farm-raised birds.”
He also denies that any birds were killed and clarifies that the confiscated birds were fowl, a species related to the fowl found in Cyprus, which are genetically unique. “We deemed it appropriate—in the unlikely event that they might escape into the wild and cause genetic contamination of the species in Cyprus—to have them euthanized by the Veterinary Services,” he explains.
