HUANGGANG Customs recently cracked the biggest pangolin scale smuggling case of the past five years and seized 53 kilograms of the endangered species’ scales, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

    The customs officers found 28 cylindrical parcels in a car with a cross-border license plate as the car was crossing the checkpoint from Hong Kong to Shenzhen on Dec. 20.

    A total of 53 kilograms of pangolin scales were found inside these parcels, and the case was handed over to the customs’ anti-smuggling department for further investigation.

    According to a Huanggang Customs’ spokesperson, each pangolin usually provides only 0.4 kilograms of scales, which means that 133 pangolins might have been killed for the 53 kilograms of scales.

    Huanggang Customs has cracked 11 pangolin scale smuggling cases at Huanggang and Futian checkpoints over the past five years, which involved a total of 130 kilograms of scales. Most smugglers were busted while crossing the border as travelers.

    Pangolins are second-class national protected animals, but they have been hunted and smuggled for a long time because of their so-called medicinal value.

    Huanggang Customs warned those who illegally carry endangered species to cross the border that they will be held legally responsible. (Zhang Yang)