Tibetan customs seize dozens of protected animals parts
Xinhua, March 31, 2017 Adjust font size:
Customs authorities in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, said Friday that they had seized dozens of protected animal parts, including the skins of endangered snow leopards.
Anti-smuggling forces in late 2016 seized 20 snow leopard skins, two tiger skins, two sets of Tibetan antelope horns and deer horns.
They also seized leopard bones and meat, as well as bear paws and teeth.
The total market value of the animal parts is 4.1 million yuan (about 602,900 U.S. dollars).
A man, surnamed Ma, suspected of trading the protected animal parts, was arrested in February on charges of illegally purchasing, transporting and selling products made from endangered animals.
"It is the largest haul of animal parts seized in recent years," said Yin Weifeng, deputy director of Lhasa Customs.
Snow leopards are a grade-one protected animal in China. There are only 10,000 snow leopard worldwide, with 2,500 to 3,500 in China. Endi