The haul - which included chimp heads, hands, internal organs and several penises - were discovered in the suitcase of African-born David Bueno, 41, who claimed he planned to eat them.
But contraband expert believe the parts were to be used in witchcraft and voodoo rituals where animal body parts are said to bring strength and power to believers.
A customs spokesman said: "This is increasingly common, sadly. These body parts are used in religious rites or medicine." Bueno - who was on his way back from the Congo - is facing charges of trafficking endangered species.
2 comments:
What's the harm, some question the opposition to superstition and woo woo. This is the harm. This, and the reason rhino horn is so rare, expensive and wanted it's worth stealing from museums. There is no fundamental difference between "harmless" things like homeopathy and spirit healing and clearly harmful things like traditional Chinese medicine when it uses parts of endangered animals in it's potions and beliefs that make you see witches and demons all around. It's all the same magical thinking, and we can't get rid of it soon enough.
Multiculturalism. Enriching your country in so many ways!
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