Arrest is made over coral haul
A man from the Black Country has been arrested after endangered coral was seized by airport officials.
Border Force officers confiscated the coral during an attempt to smuggle it through Manchester Airport.
The unnamed man, from Walsall, has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle the coral and has been bailed pending further inquiries.
An investigation by the National Crime Agency has been launched after coral was discovered on December 12 when officers examined a shipment from Indonesia.
Corals are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and cannot be traded under any circumstances.
Border Force assistant director Vicky Allan said: "This was an excellent seizure and I would like to highlight the hard work of officers involved. It also shows the wide variety of goods they have to examine."
