Trendy news: Mammoth ivory, ammonite, trilobite... Ningbo Customs hands over 16 confiscated fossils of ancient organisms

The smuggled early Cretaceous wolf fin fish fossils seized by Ningbo Customs, photographed by Zhao Yang

Chao News reporter Li Hua, correspondent Zhao Yang, Shi Jiahui, Li Jie
　　   
Recently, Ningbo Customs lawfully transferred 16 confiscated paleontological fossils to Ningbo Natural Resources and Planning Bureau. This is the first time that Ningbo Customs has seized and completed the standardized transfer of confiscated paleontological fossils in imported goods, marking a new breakthrough in the law enforcement and protection of paleontological fossils and the standardized disposal of involved items by Ningbo Customs.
The 16 paleontological fossils transferred this time were lawfully seized by the Ningbo Customs Anti Smuggling Bureau during the investigation of smuggling cases.
Paleontological fossil identification has strong professionalism, but the number of institutions with identification capabilities is limited, and most institutions can only carry out identification work for specific types of fossils. There are many types of fossils involved in this case, and if there is no legal and effective professional appraisal opinion, it will affect the progress of the transfer procedure of the involved property.
In response to this difficult task, the Finance Department of Ningbo Customs, in conjunction with the Anti Smuggling Bureau, took the initiative to coordinate and coordinate with multiple parties, ultimately entrusting the National Paleontological Fossil Expert Committee to conduct professional identification, providing authoritative technical support for the lawful and regulated disposal of the involved fossils.
After professional appraisal organized by the Office of the National Paleontological Fossil Expert Committee, the fossil categories transferred this time are rich and have outstanding scientific research value, including mammoth ivory products, early Cretaceous wolf fin fish fossils, early Cretaceous ammonite fossils, Cambrian trilobite fossils, Paleozoic ceratopsite, Paleozoic coral fossils, etc. They have been evaluated as general protected paleontological fossils and have important scientific research and protection value.
After the judgment of the case came into effect, Ningbo Customs strictly followed the relevant provisions of the "Regulations on the Protection of Paleontological Fossils" (State Council Order No. 580), and completed the transfer of 16 confiscated paleontological fossils to the Ningbo Natural Resources and Planning Bureau in accordance with laws, regulations, norms and order. Next, the Natural Resources and Planning Bureau of Ningbo City will carry out subsequent work such as registration and sorting, classification and storage, scientific research, exhibition and display, and legal publicity of the received paleontological fossils, fully realizing their value in science popularization education and protection.
Customs reminder: Paleontological fossils are strictly protected by national laws.
According to the Regulations on the Protection of Paleontological Fossils (State Council Decree No. 580), those who transport, mail, or carry paleontological fossils out of the country shall truthfully declare to the customs and submit the exit approval documents to the customs. Domestic units or individuals who obtain paleontological fossils from overseas and import them shall declare to the customs and follow the relevant import procedures in accordance with the customs management regulations. If smuggling of ancient fossils prohibited by the state for import and export constitutes a crime, criminal responsibility shall be pursued in accordance with Article 151 and other provisions of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China.
Ningbo Customs will continue to strengthen supervision and law enforcement, severely crack down on smuggling of ancient fossils, and effectively build a national defense line for natural resources and natural heritage security.