A 48-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday at the Zamboanga International Airport after authorities seized five boxes of illegally sourced sea corals.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources discovered the corals during a routine inspection at the airport's cargo area. The suspect, identified as the illegal shipper, failed to present any official documentation for the possession and transportation of the corals.

Police said the corals were intended for delivery to a specific individual in Cebu City.

The arrested individual is now facing charges for violating Republic Act 8550, the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.

The suspect and the confiscated corals is currently in the custody of the Zamboanga Airport Police Station.