HOHHOT, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has seized 169 pairs of wild red deer antlers and 15 individuals have been arrested in relation to a smuggling ring, local public security authorities said.

The antlers, weighing 176.75 kg in total, were seized on-site when traffic police in Linxi County, Chifeng City, spotted an agricultural vehicle that was overdue for inspection in May.

The driver, surnamed Chen, appeared to be nervous and attempted to conceal the cargo under the tarp from the police. After a large number of rare antlers were seized, the suspect confessed that he was part of a smuggling ring that also involved several dealers in north China's Hebei Province.

Through months of investigation and hard work, local police have arrested a total of 15 suspects involved in the purchasing and trading of endangered wildlife products.

Red deer, under second-level state protection in China, are mainly found in alpine forests and grasslands in northern China, including the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and the provinces of Heilongjiang and Gansu. Enditem