US museum curator detained in Istanbul for smuggling of endemic species
Turkish authorities detained Lorenzo Prendini, a curator at the American Museum of Natural History, at Istanbul Airport after discovering a large collection of endemic wildlife in his luggage.
Google News'te Doğruhaber'e abone olun. 
Prendini is suspected of attempting to smuggle the creatures out of the country.
Police seized 58 clip-on bags containing roughly 1,500 scorpions, tarantulas, and spiders along with 88 plastic vials filled with liquid. All the species are reportedly native to Turkey.
Prendini now faces charges under Turkish anti-smuggling laws. The detention comes amid concerns over the illegal wildlife trade, particularly for species with potential medical applications.
The venom of some endemic Turkish creatures is valuable in pharmaceutical research, with a liter of scorpion venom-based medicine estimated to be worth around $10 million.
This incident highlights the importance of protecting endangered species and enforcing regulations against wildlife smuggling. (ILKHA)
Bu haberler de ilginizi çekebilir
-
The Hope Caravan Foundation (Umut Kervanı Vakfı) has extended its ongoing humanitarian efforts in Syria by delivering cash aid to residents of the war-torn Yarmouk Camp in Damascus.
-
Over the past 24 hours, Israeli occupation forces have carried out four massacres in the Gaza Strip, targeting Palestinian families and resulting in at least 32 deaths and 54 injuries, according to local medical reports.
