The pangolins and turtles found on board. — Photo baohatinh.vnViet Nam News HÀ TĨNH — Environment police in central Hà Tĩnh Province discovered the illegal transport of 37 rare, wild animals from Laos to neighboring Nghệ An Province during the weekend. The animals – 26 turtles, four soft-shell turtles and seven pangolins – were found in a passenger bus registered in Nghệ An. Police said they had been secretly observing the bus for almost half a month before stopping it for checks on Saturday when it was travelling across the province. One pangolin died during transport. Ngô Văn Quang, the bus driver, told the police that the animals were purchased in Pakse Province in Laos to be sold in Nghệ An for meat. Pangolins and turtles are listed as critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to the high demand for its meat. Soft-shell turtles are listed as a vulnerable … [Read more...] about 37 pangolins, turtles found in bus from Laos
Pangolin
Nearly 340kg of pangolins seized in Thanh Hoa
A live Java pangolin individual uncovered at the site (Photo: VNA) Thanh Hoa (VNA) – The forest ranger force of north central Thanh Hoa province said on June 14 that they had uncovered and seized a truck transporting 74 live Java pangolin individuals, listed in the world red book, weighing 339 kilogrammes. After being reported on a truck suspected of carrying wildlife on June 13 night, the mobile forest ranger team 1 stopped and examined the suspected truck in Hoang Minh commune, Hoang Hoa district, detecting 74 live pangolin individuals with a total weight of 339kg. Driver Nguyen Van Manh, born in 1989, had no papers relating to the pangolins. Manh, who resides in Quynh Luu district, neighbouring Nghe An province, said he was hired by a man named Hung in northern Bac Ninh province. The Thanh Hoa forest ranger force contacted the Cuc Phuong Wildlife Rescue Centre to have health checks for the pangolins before releasing them back into the wild. Pangolins are the most traded … [Read more...] about Nearly 340kg of pangolins seized in Thanh Hoa
Additional 3.3 tons of pangolin scales smuggled into Vietnam
The shipment was hidden well in bags which are used for containing cashews. After a long time collecting information, the customs department in the port stopped clearance of a shipment from Nigeria with a transit port in Cambodia of Tan Vinh Thinh Company which declared to be dried cashew. Before, on April 27, the port’s customs department also found out and seized nearly 4 tons of pangolin scales hidden logs and imported from Congo. Only one week, the customs officials have detected over 7 ton products of pangolin species which are Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and two more are Critically Endangered, worth over VND60 billion ($2.6 million) The Customs department and relevant agencies will carry out further investigation as per the law. Pangolins are the most highly trafficked animal in the world. They are used in Asia for both their meat and their scales, which are made of keratin and in high demand for use in Asian medicine.By DAN NGUYEN – … [Read more...] about Additional 3.3 tons of pangolin scales smuggled into Vietnam
Another 3.3 tonnes of pangolin scales seized in HCM City
The 3.3 tonnes of pangolin scales were found to be hiden in bags and covered by cashew nut bags (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – The customs office at Saigon Port under the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department on May 3 seized an additional 3.3 tonnes of pangolin scales illegally imported from Africa. The container was declared by Tan Vinh Thinh Trade Co. Ltd to contain dried cashew nuts. It was in transit to Cambodia from Nigeria. After examining, the customs office and the Anti-Smuggling Police Department (C74) under the Ministry of Public Security found the pangolin scales contained in bags and covered by cashew nut bags. The city’s customs force is working with relevant agencies to further investigate the case. On April 27, HCM City’s Customs Department also seized nearly 3.8 tonnes of pangolin scales, illegally imported to Cat Lai Port in district 2. The pangolin scales were hidden in bags, in the middle of two containers, surrounded by timber blocks in order to … [Read more...] about Another 3.3 tonnes of pangolin scales seized in HCM City
HCM City seizes 3.8 tonnes of pangolin scales
The pangolin scales seized at Cat Lai port (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – The customs office at Saigon Port under the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, in coordination with relevant forces, discovered and seized nearly 3.8 tonnes of pangolin scales which were hidden in two containers imported to Vietnam from Congo through Cat Lai port. The containers were unloaded in Cat Lai port on April 22 after transiting Singapore. The containers, which were declared on paper to contain wood, were addressed to Thien Phuoc Duc Ltd. Company at No 50 Nguyen Trai Street, Tan Thien ward, Dong Xoai town of the southern province of Binh Phuoc. After examining the containers, authorities uncovered the pangolin scales in 100 jute bags hidden in the middle of the containers covered by wood blocks. The case is under further investigation. Vietnam has two species of pangolins, the Manis javanica and the Manis pentadactyla. Both are listed in the category of rare and threatened species … [Read more...] about HCM City seizes 3.8 tonnes of pangolin scales