Beijing, July 31 (IANS): At least 399 baby Siamese crocodiles, a protected species, were seized by the border police in China's Guangxi Zhuang region.
They were found in a rented house in Dongxing city on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported. The crocodiles, each around 25 cm long, were about 15 days old. They were very likely trafficked from Vietnam.
The police noticed three nervous men carrying goods in front of the house and approached to question them. Two suspects escaped while the third, who also tried to flee, was caught.
In January, 70 frozen wild Siamese crocodiles were seized from a seafood truck in Fangchenggang.
Siamese crocodiles are a critically endangered species in Southeast Asia. Their skin is used as a raw material for luxury leather products.