Three men charged with selling hides of giant pandas, the most endangered species in the world, were recently taken into custody by police in Chongqing Municipality.
After receiving a tip that giant panda hides were being sold locally, police officer Chen Hong, of the Yuzhong District Public Security Sub-Bureau, went undercover as a buyer and contacted Jiang Wencai, who asked for 1 million yuan (US$120,000) for a complete panda hide. Chen reportedly bargained Jiang down to 750,000 yuan (US$93,000)
Jiang then offered to sell Chen two panda hides, and Chen agreed to buy both. On October 22, Jiang led Chen to a hotel in Tongliang County, where two hides that were moldy and rotting were found.
Police seized Jiang and two of his accomplices, Mu Shiyong and Mu Chaofu, on Tuesday.
The case remains under investigation.
(People's Daily October 26, 2001)
