Smuggled animal products seized in central Chinese province

CHANGSHA -- Customs of Changsha, capital of Central China's Hunan province, announced Tuesday that they have busted a smuggling case and seized 450 grams of products made from endangered animals.

The products were discovered in the luggage of a Chinese passenger who arrived at the Changsha Huanghua International Airport from Hong Kong in late June. The passenger previously worked in South Africa.

The products were withheld by the customs officials and later confirmed as made of pangolin scales and tiger bones. This is the first time tiger bones have been seized at the airport.

Trade of pangolins and tigers, as well as their byproducts, are strictly banned in China, as the country vows to intensify efforts in wildlife protection.

In the first half of this year, 313 cases were detected involving smuggling of endangered species at the airport in Changsha, official data showed.

The case is under further investigation.