Shaanxi police crack online animal trafficking network

Forest police in Shangluo, Shaanxi province, have cracked a network that has been trafficking wild animals, reptiles and amphibians online, the biggest such operation ever reported in China, the authorities said.

The network was dealing in more than 1,000 animals, including Burmese pythons, gold pythons and nocturnal primates, with a total value of 10.85 million yuan ($1.75 million), according to Liu Gang, director of the Shangluo Forest Public Security Bureau and head of the team that has been investigating the case.

More than 140 suspects from 25 provinces, cities and autonomous regions are involved. Police have already identified and detained 56 suspects, according to Tang Hongwei, captain of the criminal police brigade of the bureau.