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Chinatown Black Market Shows Its (Snake)skin
By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 28, 2009
Modified Dec 28, 2009
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 28, 2009
Modified Dec 28, 2009
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Forget faux snakeskin Fendi bag knock-offs — you can allegedly procure your own canned cobra right on Canal Street! Last week a Queens man was busted for attempting to smuggle a suitcase of endangered fish to New York (that could have reportedly sold for up to $8K each in Chinatown), and now the NY Post looks at some of the other crazy critters being sold in the neighborhood.
Other exotic items being illegally imported and hocked include pickled cobra (to cure kidney problems), deer penis (Chinese viagra), bear gall bladder (blood cleaner), and powdered tiger bone. The black market goods can be found not only in Chinatown, but reportedly at Bronx botanicas and swap meets as well. And these are just traditional medicines, there are also quirky (and cruel) delicacies like shark fin soup that are sold legally all over the city.
The supervisor of the US Fish and Wildlife Service inspectors at the city's airports, Bob Onda, told the paper that "If they get it by us they mule it into Chinatown." The man busted with the fish was only caught because the airline lost his luggage, however — so we're guessing they get it by Onda's team more often than not.
Tagged
animals
black market
Chinatown
cobra
medicine
mule
smuggle
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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