BEIJING: A 249-kilogram shipment of pangolin scales was seized recently at Pudong International Airport, making it the biggest ever seizure of endangered animal parts in the city, Shanghai Customs said.
The scales were found inside nine black suitcases on March 27. Customs officials said an X-ray scanning machine found something suspicious in the suitcases. Customs agents waited in the baggage claim area and caught a man and a woman when they picked up the suitcases. The bags were then opened and the pangolin scales found.
The suspects confessed that they were paid to deliver the suitcases to a man surnamed Feng, who said he was helping his colleague surnamed Qiu in Nigeria to deliver them to other people in China.
Ten days later, customs officials seized another 25 kilograms of pangolin scales. The suspect also said he was working for Qiu.
Pangolins are second-class protected animals in China and killing or trading the animals is a criminal offense. Products made from the animal are banned in China. Violators can be sentenced to life in prison or the death penalty in severe cases.
Pangolin scales are believed to have high medicinal value in China and can sell for up to 5,000 yuan (US$805) per kilogram on the black market.
Shanghai Customs have seized 496 kilograms of pangolins scales since last year. One pangolin carries about 0.6 kilograms of scales.
