A traveler’s trip home from Miami took a sharp turn at Turin’s Sandro Pertini airport when customs officers opened his checked luggage and found a dried crocodile head wrapped in paper. The man, who flew in by way of Istanbul, was reported by Italy’s Guardia di Finanza for importing a protected species without the required license or certificate.
The penalties here are no joke. If convicted, he could face fines ranging from $23,200 to $232,000, or six months to a year in prison. Turin customs officials say they’ve ramped up checks this summer because more tourists are heading to exotic destinations, and apparently some of them get creative about what they bring back.
Reactions online were split. Some commenters were furious about wildlife trafficking and the greed behind it, while others questioned why customs keeps intercepting oddities like this when drug smuggling remains a major problem. It’s a strange story with a serious point underneath: protected species belong in the wild, not in a suitcase. What’s the oddest thing you’ve ever seen someone try to bring home from a trip?
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
