TRINIDAD, Bolivia—Beneath the intense humidity and bustle of everyday life in Bolivia’s Amazonian region a river of exotic smuggled exotic animals is flowing toward Asia.
With the cooperation with the local prison system, Chinese nationals have created a thriving industry where inmates are forced to create products like wallets, hats, and purses from threatened exotic animals.
In Bolivia, it’s illegal to kill, consume, or traffic wild animals. The crime is punishable by up to six years in prison.
Members of the Chinese crime syndicate Putian have been trafficking and selling jaguar teeth, pelts, and body parts in several Amazonian towns in the departments of Beni and Santa Cruz.
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