Italian authorities seize Rolls Royce outfitted in crocodile skin leather

May 20, 2021: Sky is indeed the limit when it comes to customizing luxury vehicles. In-spite if this, some customers have been known to use third parties to tailor the vehicle they purchase to whatever extent they want.

In one case, a Rolls Royce that was found to have its interior upholstered in leather made from the skin of an endangered crocodile was seized by Italian customs authorities.

Phantoms before this have been seen to be outfitted with rare-earth metals, however, this monstrosity is something never seen before. The use of Hermes leather and Hawaiin koa wood meanwhile are both perfectly legal.

According to reports, the reupholstered Phantom was being imported into Italy from Russia. Gone undetected, it would have been on its way to an exotic car dealership in Rome to be resold. Unfortunately, it was deemed a bit too exotic and was confiscated by customs.

It has been established that the work done on the interior of this vehicle is from an aftermarket shop and doesn’t implicate Rolls-Royce in any way. Aside from the poor fit and finish, crocodile is listed as a protected species under the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Goods can be manufactured from crocodile leather legally but doing so requires a clearance certificate from CITES for the material to be used in the 160 countries under its jurisdiction, including Italy. While any action remains to be seen in court, the owner of the vehicle could face heavy fines and will likely have to remove the interior.

It isn’t immediately clear what if any action authorities have decided to take but it is safe to say, customers are well advised to stick to factory leather accoutrement available from Rolls-Royce.

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