$19,000 alligator-skin purse confiscated at Australian airport

A handbag worth nearly $20,000 was confiscated at an Australian airport, according to reports released this week.

According to the BBC, a shopper purchased a Saint Laurent bag from a boutique in France with intentions of transporting it to Australia.

Once at Perth Airport, officials with the Australian Border Force found and confiscated the bag.

While alligator-skin products are allowed to be imported into Australia, buyers must first get clearance with a special permit that costs about $50, the BBC reported. The permit is required by the country’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates illegal wildlife trade.

The female buyer had obtained necessary clearance to export the bag from France but failed to get the permit to import it into Australia.

“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,” said Sussan Ley, Australia’s Minister for the Environment.

While offenders can face jail time and fines, airport staff and government officials ordered the handbag to be destroyed without any further consequences for the buyer.

Read more at CNN and the BBC.

Cox Media Group