Police in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have seized 270 crocodiles smuggled from Vietnam after tracking a suspicious vessel on a border river.

The seizure was the largest this year in Guangxi, where 25 illegally captured crocodiles were discovered in the first six months.

Border police noticed the iron-hulled boat bearing the code "QN0168" trying to land on the Chinese side of the Beilun River, which marks the border with Vietnam, at about 7:00 PM on Saturday.

The boat, later found to be registered in Vietnam, retreated to the middle of the river after approaching the Chinese side more than ten times.

At about 1:00 AM on Sunday, the boat finally came on to the bank. Four people aboard carried bags on to the bank, but they jumped into the river and swam away when they saw the police.

The police found the bags contained 270 crocodiles, which are on the state wildlife protection list. They will be sent to zoos after several days of observation.

Border police told Xinhua that some underground leather factories bought crocodile skins to make shoes and bags.

(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2007)