A collection of fossils, consisting of dinosaur teeth originating from the Moroccan geological basin, has been repatriated, thanks to bilateral cooperation between Morocco and France in the field of cultural heritage protection.
These fossils were seized by French Customs services in February 2025 in the city of Menton, France, during an attempted illicit smuggling operation via an express freight truck traveling between Spain and Italy, according to a press release from the Ministry of Culture.
The seized batch consisted of nine fossils dating back to the Upper Cretaceous period (66 to 72 million years ago), including teeth of extinct marine reptiles and others belonging to species related to distant relatives of the crocodile, originating from the Moroccan geological basin.
The restitution of the fossiles, result of close coordination between the Ministry of Culture and French authorities, embodies the shared commitment of both countries to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property and to preserve the natural and geological heritage of Morocco for future generations, the press release stated.