Baboon Noses Sniffed Out in Reeking Suitcase
Wed September 3, 2003 10:00 AM ET
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch airport customs officers, alerted by the stench coming from a suitcase, found up to 2,000 baboon noses believed to come from Nigeria and to be destined for traditional healing.
"Bags were found inside (the suitcase) containing an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 baboon noses, weighing more than 30 kg (65 pounds) in total," the Dutch animal health inspectorate said in a statement on Wednesday.
The owner of the suitcase, who has not been identified, had flown from Lagos to Amsterdam, apparently destined for the United States, but seemed to have abandoned the suitcase at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport for fear of being caught with it.
All the noses, which were discovered last week, have been destroyed.
"The baboon noses are suspected to have been destined for consumption or for use in the manufacture of traditional medicines," the inspectorate said. "It is known that many inhabitants of Asian and African countries use these medicines because of the healing properties attributed to them," the statement said.
Traditional healers use herbs, bark and animal remains for their remedies.
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