Nigeria intercepts pangolin shipment

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Customs officials in Nigeria have seized a shipment of endangered animal parts including pangolin scales and ivory headed for Vietnam.

The more than 850,000 tonnes were discovered in a container declared as furniture at the Lagos port.

The Nigerian Customs Service says the items are worth $2.5m (£1.8m).

Upon investigation officials discovered the animal parts hidden inside logs including nearly 9,000 kgs of pangolin scales.

Other items include ivory, lion bones and animal horns were found.

One person has been arrested in connection with the alleged trafficking on Thursday.

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world.

Nigeria serves as a major hub for smuggling the endangered animals to South-East Asian countries such as China and Vietnam where they are used for traditional medicines.

Earlier this month, a court in China jailed 17 people for smuggling pangolin scales worth $28m (£20m) from Nigeria.

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Pangolin shipment