4 Accused of Smuggling Animals Parts

Four Chinese nationals were arraigned Monday for allegedly trying to smuggle illegal animal parts into the United States.

Zhongri Gao, 36; Yongzhe Jin, 34; Xianglu Jin, 35, and Songyue Li, 35, will enter pleas Oct. 2 to charges that they tried to bring bear gall bile and other wildlife-based products into the country.

The defendants were arrested Sept. 6 at Los Angeles International Airport, where officials seized more than 11 pounds of bear gall bile, valued at $2 million, and other animal parts such as musk deer testicles, whole bear gall bladders, rhinoceros horn pills and tiger bone plasters.

According to a 10-count federal indictment, the defendants hid the animal parts inside clothing and boxes in their luggage and did not declare the illegal items to the Customs Service.

The bile was extracted from Asiatic black bears, which are protected by an international treaty that bars trade of the animals, or parts or products from them.

The bile is rumored to be an aphrodisiac and “an ancient Asian herbal remedy for a number of diseases,” said Assistant U.S. Atty. Erica Martin.

Prosecutors believe the bear gall bile came from Gao’s farm in the Yanbien Province, where he allegedly keeps live bears chained in cages.

The bile reportedly is extracted from the bears by placing tubes directly into their gall bladders, Martin said.

If convicted, each defendant faces up to five years in prison.