Tourists try smuggling monuments from protected areas in Mytilini

Fossils from the protected area of the Petrified Forest of Mytilini, were found and seized by customs officers at Mytilini Airport last Saturday the 15th of June, during a routine customs check-out check for passengers boarding a flight to Vienna.

Authorities found three fossil logs in luggage belonging to Czech citizens, as well as 63 segments collected from the beach and under the ocean, along with volcanic rock, which have all been seized.

The fossils were taken from the protected area of the Petrified Forest of Mytilini, which has been designated as a protected natural monument. The huge environmental, geological and paleontological value of the Petrified Forest earned national recognition when it was declared a Natural Monument by the Greek State, and an international one when it became a founding member of the European Geoparks Network and a member of the Global Geoparks Network.

The petrified forest of Lesvos was formed from the fossilised remains of plants, which can be found in many localities on the western part of Lesvos Island.

Investigations are still continuing as to why the tourists attempted to smuggle the monuments out of Greece.