RABAT, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan customs in Casablanca Mohamed V airport foiled an attempt to smuggle 26 precious falcons, said the official news agency MAP on Wednesday.
The falcons were hidden inside wooden crates arranged for the purpose, transported by a foreign national, it added.
The report did not give details concerning the nationality of the smuggler, neither the final destination of the falcons.
The 26 birds which are protected species were handed over to the regional water and forests and wildlife department.
The operation highlights wildlife trafficking between continents and the necessary cooperation between various control services to deal with it, said the report quoting customs officials.
The illegal hunting and trafficking of wildlife is widespread in North African countries, where many of the birds are thought to end up in the Middle East.
