Splayed out on the ground, this gruesome picture shows half a tonne of severed bear paws seized from a Russian boat bound for China.

The 525 bear paws were discovered in an anti-smuggling operation by Russian customs and secret services.

They are among the most expensive items in east Asian cuisine - where they are considered a delicacy - and are much sought after in Chinese restaurants.

The value of the bear paws was estimated at £370,000.

Almost 4,000 mink furs, worth £115,000, were also taken from the boat in the Siberian city of Khabarovsk.

Lined up in rows, these horrific pictures show 525 bear paws which were seized by Russian customs

Bear parts are in high demand at black markets throughout Asia and are used in Chinese soups

It is not clear how the animals were killed but the goods were bound for Tongjiang city in the Heilongjiang province of China

An unnamed man, part of an alleged gang of smugglers, was arrested and accused of two counts of smuggling.

He also allegedly had a mammoth tusk weighing four kilograms.

It is not clear how the animals were killed but the goods were bound for Tongjiang city in the Heilongjiang province of China, the Siberian Times reported.

A joint operation was mounted by Federal Security Service operatives and customs investigators.

Animal rights groups have previously said Chinese black market demand for traditional delicacies and 'cures' leads to the illegal slaughter of threatened species in Russia.

Bear paws are used to cure anything from sexual impotency to a fever and have even been known to get turned into ash trays.