The fossils were seized by French Customs in Menton, in the Alpes-Maritimes department, from an express freight truck traveling from Spain to Italy. Hidden among the cargo, the fossils originated from Morocco and date back to the Late Cretaceous period, between 72 million and 66 million years ago.
Through coordination between French Customs, France’s Ministry of Culture and the French Embassy in Morocco, the paleontological specimens were returned to the Moroccan authorities in accordance with international conventions on the protection of cultural heritage.
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The recovered collection includes one tooth from Zarafasaura oceanis, a long-necked marine reptile that inhabited prehistoric oceans. Three teeth belong to mosasaurs, marine predators widely known to the public. The remaining five teeth are believed to have come from Dyrosaurus phosphaticus, a reptile related to modern crocodiles that was also found in Morocco’s phosphate formations.
France returns nine Cretaceous reptile teeth to Morocco.
The restitution highlights the challenges of protecting Morocco’s fossil heritage, which is highly sought after on international markets. Morocco, home to unique paleontological deposits, regularly faces attempts to illegally export fossils, many of which are destined for private collections.
