(CN) : BBC 10/12/03: China: Huge animal fur haul in Tibet

October 15, 2003

BBC DAILY E-MAIL: UK EDITION

Sunday, 12 October, 2003, 08:00 GMT 01:00 US/Pacific

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* Huge animal fur haul in Tibet *

A record seizure of illegal animal furs - including leopard skins and

tiger pelts - is made by Chinese customs.

Full story:

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Huge animal fur haul in Tibet

Custom officials and police have smashed the largest case of illegal fur

smuggling in Tibet in more than half a century, the Chinese state news

agency says.

More than 1,200 skins of several endangered species, including tigers and

leopards, were captured in the mountainous Ngamring county.

Officers have valued the haul at 6.52m yuan ($795,000) and say it was the

largest single seizure of endangered animal products in the area since 1951,

according to a Xinhua news agency report on Saturday.

Three Tibetans and two Nepalese have been arrested.

Animals shot

The illegal furs were intercepted on Thursday night as they were being

transported by truck from neighbouring Nepal into China by two Nepalese.

The haul totalled 1,276 items and included 32 tiger pelts, 579 leopard skins

and 665 otter pelts, Xinhua reported.

Most of the animals had been shot, said Li Jianwen, an officer from the

regional customs.

All the goods were said to have been transported by the two Nepalese, who

came to China by a mountain pass.

The case is now under further investigation.

Since 1999, Chinese customs have cracked down on 217 smuggling cases of

endangered animals, uncovered some 18,713 living animals and prosecuted up

to 298 suspects, Xinhua said.

Story from BBC NEWS:

Published: 2003/10/11 07:52:59 GMT

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