Katowice. She was carrying a pain cream with king cobra venom from Vietnam. It was found in the luggage by customs officers at the airport in Pyrzowice

Silesia National Revenue Administration confiscated four packages of Vietnamese cream at the Katowice airport in Pyrzowice, which according to local beliefs has pain-relieving properties. The traveler who was transporting it did not have a CITES permit to transport these medications. The case was reported by Katarzyna Klos from the Fiscal Administration Chamber in Katowice.

– A woman returning from Vietnam failed to declare the cream with king cobra venom, which is a protected species of wild fauna listed in the annexes to the Washington Convention. Officers from the Silesian Customs and Revenue Office in Katowice detained four packages of the cream with cobra venom during a customs inspection of passenger traffic at the Customs Passenger Branch in Katowice-Pyrzowice – informs Klos.

In Asia, this type of medicine is very popular. Due to the alleged direct effect of the venom, the agent is advertised as a drug that reduces inflammatory pain, joint and muscle inflammation, and acute neuralgia.

– Importing a preparation containing Ophiophagus hannah (king cobra) venom into the European Union requires a customs declaration and presentation of an export permit issued by the exporting country and an import permit issued by the member state of destination in the European Union. However, the woman did not have any documents permitting the transport of these medications – explains Klos.

Illegal transport across the EU border of specimens of endangered species, their parts or products made from them is a crime punishable by imprisonment from 3 months to 5 years. In less serious cases – if the perpetrator acts unintentionally – a fine may be imposed.