French customs officers recently unearthed a remarkable discovery during a standard inspection near the Italian frontier, uncovering nine fossilized dinosaur teeth inside a Spanish lorry on the A8 motorway on January 28. According to officials, the fossils were detected in two parcels and subsequently sent to a local prehistory museum in Menton for further analysis.
Expert consultations revealed that the teeth date back to the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 72 to 66 million years ago, originating from Morocco. Custom agents routinely stop lorries on this route, checking for smuggled drugs and other illegal goods, but this unexpected haul of ancient fossils astonished officials.
Among the identified fossils was a tooth belonging to a Zarafasaura oceanis, a marine reptile around three meters long, categorized in Morocco in 2011. Additionally, three teeth were confirmed as belonging to the Mosasaurus, a colossal sea predator measuring up to 12 meters in length. The remaining five teeth are presumed to be from Dyrosaurus phosphaticus, a distant relative of modern crocodiles.
The lorry driver informed the customs team that the parcels were intended for recipients in the Italian cities of Genoa and Milan. Authorities are actively investigating the intended recipients of the fossils. Although fossil collection is permitted, exporting such items often necessitates a legal license to ensure proper regulation.
Expert consultations revealed that the teeth date back to the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 72 to 66 million years ago, originating from Morocco. Custom agents routinely stop lorries on this route, checking for smuggled drugs and other illegal goods, but this unexpected haul of ancient fossils astonished officials.
Among the identified fossils was a tooth belonging to a Zarafasaura oceanis, a marine reptile around three meters long, categorized in Morocco in 2011. Additionally, three teeth were confirmed as belonging to the Mosasaurus, a colossal sea predator measuring up to 12 meters in length. The remaining five teeth are presumed to be from Dyrosaurus phosphaticus, a distant relative of modern crocodiles.
The lorry driver informed the customs team that the parcels were intended for recipients in the Italian cities of Genoa and Milan. Authorities are actively investigating the intended recipients of the fossils. Although fossil collection is permitted, exporting such items often necessitates a legal license to ensure proper regulation.
