In a surprising turn of events, French customs officials uncovered nine dinosaur teeth during a routine check of a Spanish lorry on the A8 motorway, close to the Italian border. The discovery took place on January 28, when inspectors noticed the suspicious parcels and sent them to a local prehistory museum in Menton for further examination.
On Friday, experts identified the teeth as belonging to reptiles that roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 72 to 66 million years ago, in what is now Morocco. Among the findings, one tooth was confirmed to be from a Zarafasaura oceanis, a marine reptile that reached lengths of around 3 meters (10 feet) and was named in Morocco in 2011. Additionally, three teeth were attributed to a Mosasaurus, an impressive aquatic creature that could grow up to 12 meters long.
The remaining five teeth are believed to belong to Dyrosaurus phosphaticus, a relative of modern-day crocodiles. The lorry driver informed authorities that he was delivering these parcels to recipients in the Italian cities of Genoa and Milan.
French customs are now investigating the intended recipients of these ancient artifacts. While collecting fossils can be legal, exporting them often necessitates a license, highlighting the complexities surrounding fossil trading and ownership. Customs agents routinely inspect the A8 motorway, where suspicious parcels can frequently contain illegal substances, making this unexpected find a significant development in the realm of prehistoric artifacts.
