Overview
- A 65-year-old Ukrainian man living in Ahaus was detained on May 7 after arriving from Moldova via Düsseldorf Airport’s green channel.
- His handbag, intended as a gift for his wife, caught officers’ attention for featuring a crocodile’s preserved head and feet.
- Experts later determined the bag was made from Sumpfkrokodil skin, a species whose import into Germany is strictly prohibited.
- A prosecution under the Federal Nature Conservation Act is now underway, exposing the traveler to potential fines or criminal charges.
- Customs officials said the accessory will be handed to the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation after the case closes and warned travelers to verify animal-based souvenirs against conservation laws.