Over 635 kgs of dried shark fins were recently seized by wildlife inspectors at PortMiami. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the fins were found in 18 boxes. Officials believe the fins came from sharks in South America and were bound for Asia.
The commercial value of the fins is estimated between $700,000 – $1,000,000 (R10,393,880 – R14,848,400). Both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Customs and Border Protection worked together to intercept the shipment.
The illegal practice, known as shark finning, is when fishermen slice off fins from live sharks and throw them back into the ocean. The animal will then suffocate or bleed to death. The fins are usually used to make shark fin soup, a Chinese delicacy.
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