Nigeria deports pangolin trafficking suspect to China

Nigerian police said they arrested a Chinese man in Abuja and deported him to Shanghai to face wildlife trafficking charges over about 12 tonnes of pangolin scales.

Police identified the man as Cai Jinlian, 42, and said he was arrested on July 18 and sent to Shanghai on July 29. They said an international arrest warrant was issued in 2020 after he fled China for Egypt before moving to Nigeria.

Police said Cai smuggled approximately 12 tonnes of tree pangolin scales from Nigeria to China in two consignments between November 2018 and April 2019.

Pangolins are among the world's most endangered species. Their scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine, although there is no scientific evidence that they have medicinal value. Nigeria is a major hub for trafficking pangolin scales to Asia.