BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (7 Nov 2007) — Customs agents in Argentina have seized a valuable, 5-ton shipment of coral and seashells from the Philippines. More than 1,500 pieces of endangered and protected coral and seashells were seized in Buenos Aires. Customs officials said the illegal shipment was listed as "manufactured goods" and was probably headed for the black market in Mar Del Plata, a popular tourist destination 400 kilometers southeast of Buenos Aires on the Atlantic coast. The coral and seashells are protected under the 1975 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which ensures that wildlife and plants are not threatened by commercial trade. It is not clear what will happen to the confiscated corals and seashells, however, officials siad they were considering donating it to museums and environmental organizations. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK | 
