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Police raid nets dinosaur fossils worth millions
Federal police have seized dinosaur eggs and fossils worth millions of dollars during raids on three properties at Mandurah, south of Perth.
They say the raids, conducted last week, netted more than 1,300 fossils, including fish fossils from China believed to be up to 300 million years old.
Federal police are yet to decide if charges will be laid over the seizure.
Kevin Wohlers from the federal Department of Environment and Heritage says police carried out the raids after a request from the Chinese Government.
"It's a large seizure to be sure," Mr Wohlers said.
"The Australian Government is very committed to ensuring that both our natural and cultural heritage - and not only Australia's but in a global sense - is preserved for the benefit of current and future generations.
"The Australian Government is very pleased to be able to assist China with this seizure."
Mr Wohlers says the range of fossils seized in the raids is extensive.
"They range from fossil fish to dinosaur eggs to rhino skulls, basically the whole gamut of fossils, fossil dinosaurs and the like," he said.
Thursday, June 17, 2004. 10:45am (AEST)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200406/s1133779.htm
Plenty more Dinosaur smugglers to go