More than 1,400 animal parts intended for witchcraft rituals and amulets from shops have been seized in the capital Bogota, officials revealed.
During the raid, authorities found 442 snake rattles, 128 mammal teeth, 23 tapir hooves, a cat skull, toucan heads and 12 necklaces made of monkey appendages, as well as various animal skins.
The parts found for sale in Bogota’s central La Candelaria neighborhood came from animals captured in the Amazon or other regions of Colombia – the world’s second most-biodiverse country, after Brazil.
“These objects were mainly used for rituals and worship by people who procured them illegally,” Bogota’s under-secretary of environment Oscar Lopez told reporters.
He added that authorities also seized seeds that had been collected from natural forests without permission.
