Trading of horn and ivory is banned internationally as rhinos remain one of the most endangered species.
Qatari authorities have seized 120 pieces of rhino horns and ivory to thwart a smuggling attempt, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change announced on Sunday.
A traveller was found carrying 45.26 kilograms of ivory and horns, without permits, at the Hamad International Airport.
It was an attempt to smuggle through Qatar, the Ministry said, without disclosing details about the passenger’s final destination and the date of the operation.
The Ministry also urged every traveller to comply with the laws and conventions regarding the trade of parts of endangered species, adding a permit needs to be carried in every case.
While international trade of rhino horn and ivory has been prohibited by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) since 1977, permits can be granted in some cases for its transfer for legitimate enforcement and scientific purposes.
Qatar joined the CITES in May of 2001 and entered into force three months later, making its conventions and protocols legally binding within the Gulf states’ territories.
Local authorities have previously foiled numerous smuggling attempts at the Hamad International Airport, which is prone to such acts as one of the busiest transit hubs with proximity to Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Sizeable batch of narcotic tablets confiscated
Qatar Customs on Sunday published a video of the authority seizing narcotic tablets from a passenger at the Hamad International Airport, who was attempting to smuggle them into the country.
Some 2100 Lyrica tablets were hidden in the crevasses of food containers that the passenger was carrying, which were seized by the officials.
The search was carried out after a customs inspector found the arriving passenger’s bag to be suspicious, according to Qatar Customs, even as the date of the incident was not disclosed.
Lyrica tablets are prescribed to treat nerve pain, seizures and anxiety disorders yet are banned in Qatar and several countries due to their potential abuse and addiction.
In a similar search, Qatari authorities had thwarted an attempt to smuggle some 1977 Lyrica capsules hidden inside cricket bats in 2023.