Woman accused of illegally importing bear bile (AP)

Fri Mar 27, 7:57 pm ET LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors in California have charged a South Korean national with illegally importing almost a kilogram of bear bile to sell as an aphrodisiac. The U.S. attorney's office said Seongja Hyun (SONG-ja Hun) was charged Friday with the illegal importation of wildlife under the federal Endangered Species Act. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Investigators discovered a package at a San Francisco postal facility sent to Hyun that contained four bags of a substance believed to be bear bile. Authorities say Hyun told them she had been selling bear bile harvested in China to treat ailments. They say a search of her apartment also turned up more bile, vials and packaging. It was not immediately clear if she had an attorney.
[Via]