Gironde: more than 16 kilos of pangolin meat seized at Bordeaux airport

A major raid. More than 16 kilos of pangolin meat, an animal whose reputation has been tarnished by the Covid-19 epidemic , were seized at Bordeaux-Mérignac airport from Cameroon, French customs said in a press release published on Monday, February 24.

According to the same document, this meat, which came from eleven different animals, was seized between November 11 and December 6, 2024 as part of Operation Thunder, an international collaboration aimed at combating the trafficking of species protected by the Washington Convention .

As Le Figaro points out, the pangolin is the most poached and trafficked animal in the world, while its survival is threatened. Its meat is appreciated in Africa as bushmeat, from wild animals.

As indicated by customs in their press release, a total of 40 findings were made in mainland France and overseas, with the seizure of "three live animals (iguana gecko)" and "nine stuffed animals (butterflies, tigers, seahorses)".

In addition, "53 animal parts (elephant feet, sea turtle shells, star tortoise shell, walrus skull, sawfish rostrum, shark tooth, dried sea cucumbers)" and "53 corals and shells, more than 250 kg of wild meat (conch, pangolin, monkey meat)" were seized.

These seizures are not limited to living beings, since customs report that "81 ivory objects" and "515 objects of plant origin" were also confiscated.

Internationally, Operation Thunder resulted in the seizure of 20,000 live animals, all belonging to protected species, and the arrest of 365 suspects, according to France 3 Régions .

"Trafficking in protected species is considered one of the most lucrative criminal activities, behind drug, human and arms trafficking," the press release recalls.