Overview
- Officers selected a 56-year-old man from Aachen for a check after he used the green channel on return from Thailand.
- An X-ray of his suitcase revealed a stony coral about the size of a honeydew melon weighing over 400 grams plus twelve additional coral pieces.
- The species is classified as endangered and may be brought into Germany only under tightly regulated conditions with proper documentation.
- With no required permits presented, customs seized the specimens and initiated proceedings on the spot, according to spokesperson Jens Ahland.
- Further handling of the matter rests with the city's Lower Nature Conservation Authority, and potential charges or penalties have not been specified.