Rare and endangered animals that are considered "palatable" or have some highly sought product associated with them (ex. furs, medicines, etc) are faced with a double-edged sword; as they become more and more scarce, their value increases drastically on the market. I'm glad this contraband was busted!
If any of you ever travel to different regions of the world, keep this in mind. If you don't know anything about an animal good that is being offered to you, ask! If you feel suspicious, don't purchase it. There are clauses in CITES aimed against global trades of endangered animals, but it's tough to enforce things on a global market-economy. Do your part and be knowledgeable about what you are buying.