A $19,000 (Rs 14 lakh) worth alligator-skin designer handbag was destroyed by customs officials in Australia as it entered the country without a correct import license. A woman in Australia learned this heartbreaking lesson, recently. Also Read – Miraculous Escape! Gujarat Man Pushes The Lioness Away After It ‘Sat’ On His Chest While He Was Asleep
As reported by Wion, the Australian Border Force in Perth seized the handbag which was bought online from a Saint Laurent boutique in France. It was seized on the suspicion that it may have been involved in the illegal wildlife trade. While the Alligator-skin products are allowed in Australia, but the owners are required to obtain a $70 (Rs 3700) permit. The bag was seized at a cargo depot in Perth, Western Australia.
The buyer had spent 26,313 Australian dollars on the handbag, reportedly. Not just that, the buyer had also arranged Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (CITES) export permit from France, but missed to take an import permit from the Australian CITES Management Authority. The Australian customs confiscated the bag but decided not to take any further action against the buyer.
CITES regulates as well as monitors products derived from alligators are allowed into Australia to protect species that are adversely affected by illicit markets.
Australian Environment Minister Sussan Ley asked to apply the correct paperwork and the citizen should think about ethical fashion choices. She also called this instance, a costly reminder.
“We all need to be aware of what we’re purchasing online as restricting the trade of animal products is crucial to the long-term survival of endangered species,” she added.
