Tens of thousands of seahorses seized by police in Peru

More than 16,000 dried seahorses, which were intended to be illegally exported to Asian countries, were confiscated by police in Peru.

Powdered seahorses are used in traditional medicine and alleged aphrodisiac uses in China and Japan among other places.

The illicit cargo was abandoned by traffickers on a street in the capital of Peru, Lima and could have been worth up to $250,000 (£160,000) abroad.

Seahorse fishing is illegal in Peru by authorities have difficulties enforcing the ban since high prices are paid for their powder.

The cargo weighed 27.5kg and abandoned near Lima’s airport.