A tourist returning from Egypt faces 3 to 5 years in prison after Polish customs officials found 7 pieces of coral in his hand luggage

A tourist returning from Egypt faces a prison sentence ranging from three months to five years after Polish customs officers found seven coral fragments in his hand luggage. The discovery was made at Bydgoszcz Airport during a customs inspection.

The fragments weighed a total of 75 grams, and preliminary checks indicated that they came from reef-building corals protected under the CITES Convention and European Union legislation. The tourist told authorities that he had found them on the beach and taken them home as a souvenir, unaware that transporting them required special documents.

The corals were confiscated, and the customs and tax service in Toruń opened an investigation. The sentence of up to five years is provided for by law and does not represent a conviction in this case.

The rules also apply to Romanian tourists. Romania complies with European CITES regulations, and bringing in protected specimens, including corals, certain shells, ivory or reptile-skin products, may require export and import permits. The fact that a coral is dead or was found on the beach does not mean it can be legally transported across the border.