Once they're gone, they're gone for good.
These are the words of the Director for Environment Epeli Nasome at the International Customs Day celebrations held with FIRCA and the Oceania Customs Organisation in Suva.
He said many of Fiji's natural flora and fauna are being taken illegally overseas and the Customs Department is playing a major role in monitoring the illegal smuggling of these items overseas.
Nasome commended the theme "Customs and Environment, Protecting our Natural Heritage" saying it is important for everyone to realise how important Fiji's natural flora and fauna species are, especially since most have been listed as endangered species.
FIRCA CEO Jitoko Tikolevu said every year hundreds of millions of plants and animal species worth billions of dollars are traded internationally and as a result some of these animals and plants are either extinct or near extinction.
Customs Monitor Illegal Smuggling
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