Monday, January 16, 2023 | 1:50 p.m.
Specialized agents from the General Directorate of Customs-AFIP stationed at the San Javier – Porto Xavier International Border Crossing discovered, during a baggage control, that a Brazilian citizen was trying to enter Argentina with horse semen.
The discovery occurred when the small boat that covers the route between the two banks of the Uruguay River docked on the coast of our country (it should be clarified, the aforementioned border crossing unites Argentina with the Federative Republic of Brazil). Customs agents noticed that among the few passengers on board, one was carrying a small box.
Questioned about what he was bringing, he acknowledged that it was equine semen, but stated that he was only doing the favor of taking it from San Nicolau to Foz de Iguazú (this transit called “BRASIL-BRASIL” originates and ends in the neighboring country, but crosses Argentine territory).
When inspecting the box, customs personnel verified that it was indeed specially conditioned for its contents: two containers with 90 ml of semen each and a diluent that helps to preserve its quality.
Within this framework, the customs agents proceeded to seize the merchandise, which is not admitted by the baggage regime and requires prior certifications from third-party agencies. Now, even if it were allowed, it can be presumed that it would have far exceeded the $300 waterway income deductible.
The value of the seized merchandise, strictly speaking, depends on factors such as race and pedigree, among others, but specialists in equine genetics consulted by customs personnel indicated that a batch of top-quality sperm ranges between USD 1,000 and 10,000, while that the value of an embryo can go up to USD 20,000.
