A man was yesterday fined after he tried to illegally take an animal out of the country on July 29.
Nicki Anthony Joseph, 26, of Lot 79 DaSilva Street, Newtown, Kitty was charged with attempting to take one Towa Towa bird out of the country without having the necessary documents and certificates at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.
Prosecutor Neville Jeffers told the court that when Joseph was about to the pass the security checkpoint at the airport, a search was conducted on his luggage and the bird was found concealed in a toilet paper roll. Jeffers indicated that when the defendant was questioned about the animal by Narcotics officers at the airport, he told them that he did not have a permit or certificate to export the bird.
Joseph told Magistrate Ann McLennan that he did not know about the process and the bird was supposed to be a gift for his father.
The magistrate fined the defendant $75,000 and banned him from obtaining an export licence.
