Smuggling of frozen pangolins and clams seized by Guangzhou Customs

Guangzhou Customs reported on April 10 that from March 24 to 25, Guangzhou Customs dispatched 95 anti-smuggling police to seize three cases of smuggling imported endangered species in Foshan, Qingyuan and Heyuan. Nine suspects were arrested and five frozen pangolins, 5.5 kilograms of pangolin meat, 1.5 kilograms of pangolin scales and 74.0 kilograms of clams were smuggled into China and abroad. Four kilograms, 15.1 kilograms of lizards and more than one million yuan of suspected stolen money were seized.

The suspected endangered species, including pangolins, clams and lizards, were frozen dead. The five pangolins seized at the scene were all juvenile pangolins. The suspect killed them and scaled them off and sold them to restaurants.

Pangolin is a small and medium-sized mammal covered with carapace, mainly living in Asia and Africa. At present, there are a small number of endangered species, which are listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. All international trade is prohibited.

Guangzhou Customs said that it would continue to carry out special actions to crack down on the smuggling of endangered animals and plants and their products.