HK seizes massive haul of smuggled pangolin scales  

香港海关破获近五年最大宗走私穿山甲鳞片案件

据香港有线宽频新闻、香港无线电视新闻报道，香港港口及海域科货柜货物组检查指挥官王维雄16日表示，检获的穿山甲鳞片分多个麻包袋装着，重3300多公斤，估计鳞片会卖到东南亚，黑市价每公斤约5000元。[查看全文]

Hong Kong (CNS) – More than 3.3 tons of pangolin scales worth HK$17 million have been found in two shipping containers that arrived in Hong Kong from Africa.

It's the biggest seizure of its kind in five years, a customs spokesperson said on Monday.

The two batches of pangolin scales were not declared on the manifests, a customs officer said.

One ton of scales were found via scanner in a container officially containing plastic waste from Kenya. Another 2.34 tons were found in a container from Cameroon, ostensibly carrying timber, the officer said.

The two hauls are believed to have come from the same smuggling group and were bound for Southeast Asia, where prices on the black market have soared to HK$5,000 per kilogram.

Pangolins, which are under second-class state protection in China, are often smuggled because their meat is a delicacy and their scales are believed to have medical qualities.