Haut-Rhin. During a road check, customs comes across more than 200 fossils

This is a surprising and impressive discovery made by customs. In December 2024, on the RN 83a few steps from Mulhouse, the state authority got its hands on nearly 200 fossils.

The “paleontological treasure” dated some pieces back several million years.

From all over the world

Customs decided to check the utility vehicle when they saw an extremely loaded vehicle. On board, two retirees, who explain that they are returning from Belfort and more particularly a mineral exchange. They then came across 200 fossils “which the agents took and transmitted for analysis to an expert paleontologist from the University of Strasbourg to the Drac Grand-Est. »

Among the pieces discovered, there are 67 specimens which are “paleontological goods”, such as ammonites, fossils of plants, fish, sea urchins, animal proboscis and trilobites, from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic periods.

Customs adds that these documents are supposed to be accompanied by proof, which the couple does not present.

“The 67 specimens seized, originating from different countries (Morocco, Niger, Madagascar, Brazil, Lebanon and the United States), some of them rare, could be handed over to the University of Strasbourg to the department of paleontological collections. If necessary, certain specimens will make it possible to raise public awareness of the ethical, cultural and environmental issues that the commercialization of universal heritage can raise (sometimes going as far as the pillaging and destruction of paleontological sites),” adds customs.

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