BEIJING - Chinese authorities have prosecuted 11 people for smuggling 800 million yuan worth of Mexican totoaba fish swim bladders, one of the country's biggest busts related to the trafficking of an endangered species used in traditional medicine.
The group of smugglers, led by an individual named Liang Weihua, transported the fish parts in"large quantities" and sold them to consumers in China. The critically endangered totoaba fish has been in steep decline since the 1940s, largely because of its reputed healing powers in Chinese medicine. Though China has made efforts to crack down on the sale of illegal wildlife products, smuggling continues as demand is still fuelled by a thriving black market.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more: