Chinese woman in black coral trade nabbed

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Police arrested a Chinese woman for alleged smuggling of protected seashells and black corals.

The local police and operatives of the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime arrested Olivia Lim Li, 48, at her residence in Barangay Sta. Maria in this city.

Her husband, Li Yu Ming alias Joe Pring, managed to escape and is believed to have slipped back to China, police said.

Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro said the couple had a warrant of arrest for violation of the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act for allegedly smuggling more than 40 tons of corals and shells seized last June 2011.

The corals, which includes black, red, sea whip, tiger and many others; shells of different varieties, including trumpet and helmet shells, were part of the smuggled black corals and stuffed turtles worth P35 million intercepted in Manila a month earlier, police said.