Swiss customs have seized 578 pounds of ivory, destined for China.
Customs officials intercepted the package during a security check. The ivory had been packed in to eight suitcases, and had been sent by three Chinese men from Tanzania to Beijing, via Zurich.
Swiss authorities claim the 578 pounds of ivory may have come from up to 50 elephants, and they put the estimated black market value at about $413,000.
They also found lion fangs and claws in the suitcases.
Increased demand for ivory from China’s middle-class has helped fuel the poaching epidemic in Africa.
The Chinese men were detained and questioned, and may face large fines for violating customs and animal protection rules.
