HANOI - Police in northern Vietnam have seized five tons of pangolin and iguana carcasses destined to be shipped to restaurants in China.

State-run newspaper Thanh Nien says police found the frozen carcasses in a warehouse in Mong Cai town near the Chinese border on Wednesday.

Police declined to comment Friday.

Pangolins - a type of scaly anteater - and iguanas are considered delicacies in China and Vietnam. They are protected under an international wildlife convention and trafficking of the animals is illegal.

The news report quoted the 30-year-old trader as telling police that he had bought the animals in central Vietnam and intended to sell them to China. The report did not say whether the trader was arrested.