China's customs police seize endangered animal products

BEIJING -- Dozens of products suspected of being made of endangered animals have been seized by China's customs police according to a statement by the General Administration of Customs.

The products, carried by a passenger who entered China from Huanggang Port in southern China's Shenzhen City, included 18 nautilus fossils, 28 tortoise-shell ornaments and 20 black coral products, said the statement released Sunday.

The police also found a person carrying 201 pieces of agate stone through package scanning at a check point.

Nautilus is a wildlife under first-level state protection in China, while tortoise shell and black coral are both protected by the United Nation Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

The administration did not disclose the identity of the suspect, saying the case had been transferred to the anti-smuggling department for further processing.