07 November 2007
Tiger products seized in Chinese port
Xinhua reports that on 21 September 2007, customs officials in the northern Chinese port city of Qingdao seized a consignment of two whole tiger pelts, tiger bones, one tiger gall bladder and other tiger products. The value of the items has reportedly been estimated at 1,000,000 Yuan (UK£68,000; US$135,000; EUR€92,000). The smuggler, an Indonesian national, and another person, a Chinese national, were detained. The Indonesian reportedly confessed to smuggling tiger products in July 2007 via Gongbei Port, and one tiger pelt via Dalian Port in August 2007. It was identified that both the pelts were from Bengal Tigers. Tiger products of Indian origin have up until now been mainly smuggled along land routes via Tibet. The new seizure could indicate that international smuggling rings are increasingly operating via sea routes.