TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Panama has detained three Taiwanese suspected of trying to smuggle 240 eggs of the protected macaw, reports said Friday (March 15).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said its office in Colombia was monitoring developments. The office would ensure the suspects received reasonable treatment and legal assistance, per CNA.

Panamanian media reported Tuesday (March 12) that three Asians had been detained at Tocumen International Airport after the eggs were found in their luggage. The passengers were on their way from Nicaragua to Taiwan, Telemetro.com reported.

The representative office in Colombia later confirmed the suspects were Taiwan citizens. The authorities in Panama were investigating whether the three men had broken laws about smuggling, the protection of endangered animals, and forest wildlife.

The foreign ministry called on travelers to respect the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as well as local regulations about the transport of protected animals.