As a result of the joint operation of the Federal Security Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Primorsky Krai, on September 22, 2015, a glass tank containing an alcohol-containing solution and parts of the Amur tiger skeleton was removed in a catering establishment in Ussuriysk.
The Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the city of Ussuriysk has opened a criminal case on the grounds of the seizure of the remains of one specimen of the Amur tiger, according to the signs of a crime under Part 1 of Art. 258.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (illegal acquisition and storage of parts and derivatives of especially valuable wild animals belonging to species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation). Separate facts regarding the suspects and the circumstances of the arrest were not disclosed in the interests of the investigation.
“In the course of the investigation, all the citizens involved in the crime have yet to be identified, and also to find out the origin of this incomplete skeleton of the Amur tiger. Unfortunately, people continue to believe in the miraculous properties of tincture on the bones of a tiger, although the opposite has long been proven.” - Sergey Aramilev, Director of the Primorsky Branch of the Amur Tiger Center, comments.- “It may seem that this is another surge in poaching. Nevertheless, according to the operational information and information received from experts, this all testifies to a real increase in the work of law enforcement agencies. Despite the fact that Art. 258.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation relatively recently began to act and to some extent still “raw”, it proves its effectiveness, because only recently people selling or storing “tiger” wine could not be brought to criminal responsibility.”
In traditional Tibetan medicine, spirit brewing on the bones of a tiger, called "tiger wine", is used as a tonic to help in the treatment of many diseases. At the same time in the bones of tigers, and as in other parts of his body, no substances that would in any way affect the physiological state of a person by scientific medicine were found. The seeming effect of improving health and gaining vitality is achieved by the placebo effect.