Peruvian police seize 1.3 tons of shark fins

Peruvian authorities said Monday they had seized about 1.3 US tons of illegally harvested shark fins, a delicacy in some Asian countries that has placed the predatory creatures at grave risk.

The discovery was made at the warehouse of an export company from where they were to have been shipped, without the necessary license, to Asia, the Sunat customs agency said on X.

A report published in the journal Science in January said global shark populations were plummeting despite efforts to curb mass killings for their fins, eaten in soups in some cultures and considered a delicacy.

It is also believed in some countries, including China and Japan, to slow aging, improve appetite, aid memory and stimulate sexual desire.

Harvesting often involves catching sharks, removing their fins, and tossing them back into the ocean to die.

According to the Pew Environment Group, between 63 million and 273 million sharks are killed every year, mainly for their fins and other parts.