Illegal bear paw smugglers stopped at Chinese border ULAN BATOR, China, June 18 (UPI) -- Two Russians were detained by Chinese police after 213 bear paws were found inside a passenger van trying to enter northern China's Inner Mongolia region. The bear paws, worth about $400 a pound in China, were hidden inside the tires of the van, China Daily reported. The Chinese believe bear paws have a high nutritional value. To date this is the largest bear paw smuggling case in China, officials said.