Rare butterfly shipment seized

Rare butterfly shipment seized

The dead butterflies, wrapped in paper and stuffed into a cardboard box, belonged to species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, meaning that special licenses are needed for their trade.

"After checking with the services of the Solomon Islands... it was determined that the person who received the shipment had attempted to illegally sell the butterflies with forged documents," the office said in a statement.

The office, which issues licenses for import and export of endangered species, said the estimated value of the rare insects was EUR 10,000.

It is believed they were destined for a collector in Serbia.