Vietnam destroys 10 tons of smuggled wild animal parts
Ngoc Truong, VnExpress International
December 29, 2023
See link
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/environment/vietnam-destroys-10-tons-of-smuggled-wild-animal-parts-4694931.html
for photo.
Nearly 10 tons of endangered animal parts from Africa, including ivory and
rhino horns that were seized from a smuggler in Da Nang City, have been
incinerated.
A court in the central city ruled Thursday to burn 456.9 kg of elephant
tusks, 140 kg of rhino horns, 6.2 tons of pangolin scales, and 3.1 tons of
lion bones.
The animal parts, which would cost an estimated VND300 billion (US$12.36
million) on the black market, were seized from Nguyen Duc Tai, 33, a Da
Nang resident.
They were seized when imported from Africa to Vietnam at Da Nang’s Tien Sa
Port in 2021 and 2022.
Tai had set up two companies to import the animal parts.
The shipments were disguised as other products. One that arrived in July
2021 was said to carry floor wood panels but turned out to contain rhino
horns and lion bones.
Da Nang People's Court in February sentenced Tai to 10 years in prison for
violating regulations of wild animal protections, and three years for
forgery.
Wildlife trafficking remains rampant in Vietnam, which has been a major
market as well as a transit point for consumers in China and the U.S., and
Tien Sa Port is one of the destinations usually chosen by smugglers.
In March 2019, Da Nang Customs coordinated with police and border guards to
search containers from Congo to the port and discovered 9.12 tons of ivory
disguised in wooden crates.
In October 2018, Da Nang police coordinated with officers from the Ministry
of Public Security and Da Nang Customs to seize a shipment of 10 tons of
ivory and pangolin scales imported from Nigeria to Tien Sa.
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/environment/vietnam-destroys-10-tons-of-smuggled-wild-animal-parts-4694931.html
Vietnam destroys 10 tons of smuggled wild animal parts
Ngoc Truong, VnExpress International
December 29, 2023
See link
<https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/environment/vietnam-destroys-10-tons-of-smuggled-wild-animal-parts-4694931.html>
for photo.
Nearly 10 tons of endangered animal parts from Africa, including ivory and
rhino horns that were seized from a smuggler in Da Nang City, have been
incinerated.
A court in the central city ruled Thursday to burn 456.9 kg of elephant
tusks, 140 kg of rhino horns, 6.2 tons of pangolin scales, and 3.1 tons of
lion bones.
The animal parts, which would cost an estimated VND300 billion (US$12.36
million) on the black market, were seized from Nguyen Duc Tai, 33, a Da
Nang resident.
They were seized when imported from Africa to Vietnam at Da Nang’s Tien Sa
Port in 2021 and 2022.
Tai had set up two companies to import the animal parts.
The shipments were disguised as other products. One that arrived in July
2021 was said to carry floor wood panels but turned out to contain rhino
horns and lion bones.
Da Nang People's Court in February sentenced Tai to 10 years in prison for
violating regulations of wild animal protections, and three years for
forgery.
Wildlife trafficking remains rampant in Vietnam, which has been a major
market as well as a transit point for consumers in China and the U.S., and
Tien Sa Port is one of the destinations usually chosen by smugglers.
In March 2019, Da Nang Customs coordinated with police and border guards to
search containers from Congo to the port and discovered 9.12 tons of ivory
disguised in wooden crates.
In October 2018, Da Nang police coordinated with officers from the Ministry
of Public Security and Da Nang Customs to seize a shipment of 10 tons of
ivory and pangolin scales imported from Nigeria to Tien Sa.
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/environment/vietnam-destroys-10-tons-of-smuggled-wild-animal-parts-4694931.html