French Customs Unearth Fossils: A Mysterious Delivery of Dinosaur Teeth

On January 28, French customs officers uncovered nine dinosaur teeth after inspecting a Spanish lorry on the A8 motorway near the Italian border, leading to a fascinating investigation into paleontological artifacts.

French customs officials made headlines on January 28 after discovering nine dinosaur teeth during an unexpected inspection of a Spanish truck on the A8 motorway near Italy. The jaw-dropping find occurred as officers conducted routine checks on lorries, which often carry varied cargo, including illegal drugs.

Upon examining the contents of two parcels, they uncovered what appeared to be fossilized dinosaur teeth, prompting them to send the artifacts to a local prehistory museum in Menton for further analysis. An expert at the museum subsequently identified the teeth as belonging to marine reptiles that roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous period, over 66 million years ago. Among the discoveries were teeth from a Zarafasaura oceanis, a marine reptile that reached lengths of up to 10 feet, and three notable teeth belonging to the fearsome Mosasaurus, which could measure up to 40 feet in length.

Additionally, five teeth were attributed to Dyrosaurus phosphaticus, a distant ancestral relative of modern crocodiles. The lorry driver indicated that the parcels were destined for recipients in the Italian cities of Genoa and Milan. In light of this unusual discovery, French authorities are working diligently to uncover the intended recipients and the context of the fossil collection.

While it is legal to collect fossils, exporting them across borders often necessitates a license, raising questions about the legality of the shipment. As investigations continue, this unexpected fossil find sheds light on the intriguing intersection of customs enforcement and paleontology, illustrating the sometimes unexpected paths that ancient history can take, even in modern times.