South African authorities have seized 342kg (54 stone) of lion bones at an airport in the commercial capital, Johannesburg, believed to be destined for Malaysia.
The bones were found stuffed in 12 crates at the OR Tambo International Airport, public broadcaster SABC reports.
South Africa is the largest exporter of lion parts to Asia, a report released by UK-based Environment Investigation Agency said in 2017.
Lion bones and other body parts are increasingly sought after in South East Asia where they are used as substitutes for tiger products, considered to have medicinal value.
The environment ministry on Thursday said the lion bones found at the airport had been misdeclared, news agency AFP reports.
“When the shipment was inspected, 12 boxes of lion bones wrapped in aluminium foil and weighing 342 kg were discovered,” ministry spokesman Albi Modise is quoted as saying
Source: BBC
