Malaysian authorities said on May 8 that they had seized $2 million worth of pangolin scales at Kuala Lumpur Airport. This is the largest haul the country has ever seen.
Malaysia is a major point of transit for black market trade of endangered species. The pangolin scales were seized in two separate shipments on May 1 and May 2, weighing a total of 1,569 pounds.
Pangolins are one of the world’s most poached animals, many Asian countries use it in traditional medicine to treat a multitude of illnesses, from asthma to arthritis. However, global trade in pangolin scales is banned under a U.N. convention.
