The Federal Police, with the support of the Federal Revenue Service and Ibama, arrested a lawyer on Thursday night (4) for trying to ship 14 live stingrays in three Styrofoam boxes at Manaus International Airport. According to the PF, the lawyer was travelling to São Paulo to sell the animals online. The suspect was taken to the agency's headquarters and will be heard. According to preliminary information, the lawyer had declared in the clearance process, which is when a cargo is released by customs for entry into Brazil, that she was transporting Cichla Vazzoleri, a regional fish known as tucunaré. Also according to Ibama, the charges include mistreatment, as the animals were transported in plastic bags, with limited amounts of water and oxygen. The species was Potamotrygon Motoro, found throughout the Amazon Basin. The federal police also reported that Manaus is an intermediate point where the stingrays were given oxygen and then shipped abroad. The suspect will face charges of ideological falsehood, biopiracy, mistreatment and illegal export.

Source: Amazon Agency