Summary
Two people tried to take over 10,000 sea cucumbers and transport them to the Puerto Baquerizo Moreno airport, San Cristóbal, Galapagos. The sea cucumbers were found by police in boxes. The suspects were prosecuted for the crimes against flora and fauna in danger of extinction. A conviction was handed down with a maximum penalty of three years and two years for the defendants. The judgment noted sea cucumbers are a species listed in Appendix III of the CITES Convention, and that the crime was committed in an area within the National System of Protected Areas. The judge also handed down a fine and ordered comprehensive reparation measures. The custodial sentence was conditionally suspended, and the defendants appealed to the Provincial Court of Guayas. The court denied the appeal.