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[Eric Brager <eric AT looney.com>]

http://salon.com/mwt/wire/2003/09/04/baboon_noses/index.html

Dutch customs find 2,000 baboon noses

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Associated Press

Sept. 4, 2003  

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- Around 2,000 baboon noses were found packed 
in an abandoned suitcase at Amsterdam airport when they started to stink, 
officials said Wednesday.

Dutch customs police made the gruesome discovery last week and turned the 
case over to the Agriculture Ministry's Inspection Service, which said it 
had several leads that may help it track down the culprits.

Baboons are protected under international law.

"We assume these animals were killed, and we have to prevent something 
like this from happening again," spokesman Louis Steens said. He said the 
noses had been destroyed.

The noses -- around 66 pounds worth -- were en route from Lagos, Nigeria, 
to the United States and are believed to have been meant to be eaten or 
used in traditional medicine by immigrants.

"It is known that many inhabitants of Asian and African countries ascribe 
beneficial properties to these medicines and use them for that reason," 
the Inspection Service said in a statement.



Associated Press

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