04/10/2019 15:54
Lion bones weighing 342kg seized in South Africa
Officials have seized 342kg (754lb) of lion bones and arrested three people at Johannesburg airport in South Africa, the environment ministry said.
The bones, which are prized in Asia for supposed medicinal benefits and to make jewellery, were destined for Malaysia.
The 12 boxes of lion bones wrapped in aluminium foil were misdeclared and discovered upon inspection.
Exporting bones of lions bred in captivity is legal in South Africa, though a special permit is required.
Ministry spokesman Albi Modise said those arrested were foreigners, including two from Zimbabwe, with one suspect still in custody.
It was not immediately clear whether the bones were from lions bred in captivity or from the wild.
Lion parts are often sold in Asian markets mislabelled as tiger parts, due to China's ban on the sale of tiger products, according to the UK-based Environment Investigation Agency.