I find black-magic and witchcraft stories out of Africa disturbing. Out of Asia? Just as disturbing:
Six human foetuses which had been roasted and covered in gold leaf as part of a black magic ritual have been seized from a British citizen in Bangkok, Thai police said today.
Chow Hok Kuen, 28, who is of Taiwanese origin, was arrested with the grisly haul in the city’s Chinatown yesterday, police said. The corpses had been packed into luggage and were set to be smuggled to Taiwan.
The suspect bought the foetuses several days ago from a Taiwanese man in Thailand for 200,000 baht ($6500) and planned to sell them in Taiwan for up to six times that amount, police said. The origin of the foetuses was unclear.
“He said he planned to sell the foetuses to clients who believe they will make them lucky and rich,” said Colonel Wiwat Kamchamnan of Bangkok police.
The man faces one year in prison and a 2000 baht fine for possession of the foetuses.
One wonders how the conversation went.
“Hey, buddy, you wanna… buy some foetuses?”
Look for a man on the street corner conspicuously carrying a copy of Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. He can hook you up.