The officer of the of the Simferopil State Ecological Militia Office

The officer of the of the Simferopil State Ecological Militia Office under the Ukrainian Department of the Interior loads the snowdrops, which were withdrawn in the course of the operation "Pervotsvet", in the office-car on the Semfiropil-base Terminal, on Saturday, March 4, 2000. The operation was carried out by the Crimean Republic Committee on the preservation of the environment and the Crimean Ecological Militia. Each box was filled by 300-400 snowdrop folded and Kuznetsov's cyclamens bouquets, enlisted in the Red Book , 30-40 flowers in each bouquet. Generally the Court does not go beyond the confiscation of flowers and imposes the fine of 3-5 minimal wages. The confiscated flowers are sent to the flower shops for sale, or are passed to the orphan boarding schools or old people's homes. Last year the Crimean Militia collaborators on the preservation of the environment seized more than 10,000 of snowdrop bouquets. The top of the flower contraband annually happens on the eve of the International Women's Day - March 8. During those days the flowers, which grow only in the Crimea, are exported in the great number for sale in Kyiv, Moscow, Saint-Petersburg. Photo by Andrey Kanishev/ UNIAN