Discover 28 elephant tails in a shipment of pangolin scales smuggling in Hai Phong

Illustration image. Source: Internet

According to information from the Customs Enforcement Unit (Hai Phong Customs Department), on 2/11/2018, the Unit has cooperated with the Hai Phong port area 1 Customs Branch and the Police Division on Corruption, Economic, Smuggling (Hai Phong Police), to conduct an inspection of administrative procedures for the shipment of Dong Phuong Investment Trading Transport Co, Ltd., packed in 3 containers No. PONU2002414, MSKU4205431 and MRSU0273130, under the bill of lading No. 965303374.

The shipment was shipped on VERENINOV ANDRIY ship and entered Lach Huyen port on 5/10/2018 (Port of destination/destination port is Tan Vu Hai Phong port).

The consignee is Dong Phuong Investment Trading Transport Co, Ltd., (address at 3/55/302 Van Cao, Dang Lam Ward, Hai An District, Hai Phong).

The results of the examination and verification of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) show that goods packed in 3 containers are Ironwood (Tali) and African Doussie (Afzelia africana). Also, inside were hidden the pangolin scales of the white bellied species, scientific name is Manis tricuspis.

The above pangolin species is listed in Annex I of the List of Wild Fauna and Flora regulated in the Annexes of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Wild Fauna and Flora (Issued by together with Circular No. 04/2017/TT-BNNPTNT dated 24/2/2017 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development).

Paragraph 1 Article 3 of Decree 82/2006/ND-CP dated 10/8/2006 of the Government stipulates: "Prohibiting the export, import, re-export and introduction from the sea specimens prescribed in Appendix I of Cites Convention" for commercial purposes.

Besides 528 kg of pangolin scales, Customs forces also seized 129 teeth, suspected as lions teeth, 93 animal claws and 3 skin sets suspected leopard skin.

Through the investigation of the above case, Customs and Police Division on Corruption, Economic, Smuggling discovered the subjects continued to transport 3 containers from Cameroon to Hai Phong port on days 10/10 and 17 /10/ 2018, containing rare endangered animal parts.

Hai Phong Customs Official inspect the exhibit that were pangolin scales

The consignee is still Dong Phuong Investment Trading Transport Co, Ltd. On 20/12, the Hai Phong Enforcement Team and Customs and Police Division on Corruption, Economic, Smuggling continued to coordinate and inspect 3 containers as mentioned above and discovered about 28 elephant tails, weighing 3kg. It belongs to a rare and endangered animal, and were hidden among Ironwood (Tali) and African Doussie which were cut into bars, pieces and pre-processed.

According to Hai Phong Police, Mr. Nguyen Quang Loi (was born in 1983, lives at Lane 229 Trung Luc, Dang Lam Ward, Hai An District) is Director of Dong Phuong Investment Trading Transport Co, Ltd., and also showed signs of escaping from the locality.

Currently, the Customs and Police Division on Corruption, Economic, Smuggling, is coordinating with Hai Phong Customs Department to investigate and clarify.