(Photo: VCG)

Qingdao customs in eastern China's Shandong Province investigated 190 smuggling cases worth 3.77 billion yuan (around 547 million U.S. dollars) in 2019. 

The figures marked a year-on-year increase of 13.8 percent and 24.3 percent, respectively, according to the customs.

The seized items include 48.5 kg of ivory products, 1.2 tonnes of dried seahorses and four tiger skins, as well as products made of endangered species such as rhinoceros horns and pangolin scales. 

Qingdao customs has set up special teams to crack down on the smuggling of endangered species and such products.