Four monkeys found in trunk at Romanian border crossing

Border police at the Moravița crossing in Romania found four live monkeys packed into two boxes in the trunk of a car arriving from Ukraine. The Ukrainian driver, 47, told authorities she had inherited the animals from her mother, who recently passed away. She presented a photograph of a document she claimed was an import permit for the monkeys from Syria to Ukraine. However, she could not provide the necessary legal paperwork for possessing or transporting the animals. According to the Romanian Customs Authority, primates are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Importing them into the European Union requires specific documents mandated by European and national legislation. The monkeys have been handed over to the Timiș Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate for further action. Authorities are continuing their investigation to establish all circumstances and determine the appropriate legal measures.

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The monkeys were inherited from my mother, who recently passed away.