Turkish Customs Confiscates 1,240 Carniolan Bees At Sabiha Gökmen International Airport

Bee Carniolan. (Wikimedia Commons/Dejan H.)

JAKARTA - The customs law enforcement team at Sabiha Gökmen International Airport, Istanbul, Turkey confiscated 1,240 live Carniolan bees while conducting routine baggage checks belonging to passengers.

The Turkish Ministry of Trade said the bees were found during a physical examination of the trunk belonging to a foreign national arriving from abroad, reported by the Daily Sabah on August 1.

The results of the examination of these suitcases found 205 transparent boxes containing Carniolan bees that were very valuable.

As a precaution, the bees were immediately handed over to the Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry of the Pendik District to be protected and secured.

Investigations into this problem have revealed the characteristics of the Carniolan bee type, which has the extraordinary ability to adapt to various environmental conditions.

In addition, the bees have a faster reproductive cycle during the spring, resulting in higher honey and essence compared to other races.

This ability makes the Carniolan bees the main target for smugglers, who want to benefit from the bees.

The Ministry of Trade appreciates the success of airport customs in thwarting the smuggling of Carniolan bees, underscoring efforts to combat the smuggling of endangered species and protect biodiversity.