IT IS A CRIME WITH THE PROTECTION OF THE FLORA AND FAUNA TYPIFIED IN THE PENAL CODE.

The event could pose a potential danger to the biological balance, specifically the risk of disappearance of the autochthonous species, the Canary Black Bee, who is currently in a very delicate situation.

The Nature Protection Service of the Civil Guard of Las Palmas, Seprona, stopped a man who, supposedly, He intended to introduce an exotic species of bee from Germany to the island, an offense related to the protection of flora, wildlife and domestic animals, provided for in the article 333 of the Penal Code.

The events occurred after the Civil Guard received from the Automated Treatment Center of the Post Office Group of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a notice notifying that a postal package sent from the German town of Göttingen had been detected and suspected of containing live insects.

From now on, The appropriate steps were taken to locate the recipient and the facts were communicated to the judicial authority to proceed with the opening of the package by the interested party., who was assisted by a lawyer.

Seprona explains in a statement that inside the postal package they found 25 yellow plastic containers that contained between 11 and 13 bees -queens and workers-, adding a total of 300 bees roughly.

Positions in contact with the Animal Health Service of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and waters of the Canary Islands, in order to verify whether it had authorized the introduction of the aforementioned bees, it was confirmed that he was unaware of the procedure.

Taking into account that the detainee lacked the appropriate authorizations and administrative controls for the introduction of a foreign species, as well as the potential danger to the biological balance, specifically the risk of gradual eradication that this poses for the native species, the Canary Black Bee.

This species is currently in a very delicate situation, For this reason, the bees were seized and the recipient was charged with a crime related to the protection of the flora, wildlife and domestic animals.

The instructed report was sent to the Court of Instruction of Guard number eight of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the bees were deposited, at judicial disposition, in the Animal Health Service of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and waters of the Canary Islands.