CNN article on China seizing fossil export

[Betty Cunningham <bettyc@flyinggoat.com>]

I am breaking with my usual directing of posts to a URL for news to post
this report of a Chinese Seizure of fossils leaving the country.  This
is teh article in it's entirety

this URL is a CNN custom news article.  If teh URL doesn't work for you
try registering with CNN to access the article.

http://customnews.cnn.com/cnews/pna.show_story?p_art_id=3133267&p_section_name=Sci-Tech&p_art_type=652817&p_subcat=Archeology+%26+Paleontology&p_category=Sciences
 
Nov. 8, 1998 >> 11:52 am PST            
Sciences:Archeology & Paleontology

Harbin Customs Confiscates Rare  Fossils

Xinhua               07-NOV-98

HARBIN (Nov. 8) XINHUA - Customs officers in Harbin, northeast China's
Heilongjiang Province, recently confiscated nine fossilized rocks dating
back well over 140 million years from a leaving Korean national. 

The unidentified passenger from the Republic of Korea told officials he
purchased the fossils in Beijing for less than 1,000 yuan (126 US
dollars). 

Specialists said the rocks bear the fossilized remains of an ancient
fish species which lived in fresh water lakes in northeast China some
140 million years ago. 

They added that fossils of the ancient fish are often associated with
the presence of oil resources. They added that the rare items are highly
valuable for studies of the ancient geography and climate. 

Chinese law clearly prohibits the removal of ancient fossils from the
country.