Many smugglers of rhino horns and wildlife products imprisoned

	Goods smugglers use many tricks to cross border
	Not to protect and abet smugglers

Rhino horns are seized by enforcement authorities at Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: T.B

One more dealer was arrested

On July 10, the representative of the Education for Nature Center (ENV) said that Hanoi Police arrested Cao Xuan Manh (born in 1989, residing in Dien Chau district, Nghe An) for trafficking endangered and rare wild animal species.

Notably, Cao Xuan Manh is one of dealer of wildlife trafficking. Information collected by EVN shows that Mạnh manages a large wildlife trafficking ring, especially trafficking tigers, and operates in a very sophisticated manner. Manh can provide whole tigers, bones, pre-processed tiger or extract tiger as customer’s request. A number of tiger seizures in the Northern provinces in recent times are related to the ring.

On January 12, Manh and two suspects were discovered by the Economic Police Department (Hanoi Police) while illegally trading a rhino horn weighing 4.1kg. However, Manh quickly escaped from the scene.

To arrest Manh, the Police force has investigated for a long time.

According to Ms. Bui Thi Ha, ENV Deputy Director, the arrest of Cao Xuan Manh is an important step. Because, the seizure of evidence can cause certain losses and impacts on the activities of illegal wildlife traders. But it will have a lasting and meaningful impact when we detect and handle the dealers of illegal wildlife trafficking rings as Manh.

“Cao Xuan Manh is the 7th wildlife trafficking dealer arrested in Vietnam in recent years. Earlier, six suspects were convicted and imprisoned for their crimes,” Ha said.

Many suspects are prosecuted

The arrest of Cao Xuan Manh continues to be a clear demonstration of the determination of Vietnamese enforcement authorities in investigating, arresting wildlife product smugglers.

Recently, many smugglers have been arrested and prosecuted by the Customs and other enforcement authorities.

In 2023, two notable cases were brought to trial by the Hanoi People's Court and the Da Nang City People's Court.

On November 20, 2023, the Hanoi People's Court sentenced Ninh Ba Dien (born in 1987, residing in Viet Huong village, Huong Son commune, Lang Giang district, Bac Giang province) to 12 years in prison for violating regulations on protecting endangered, precious and rare animals as prescribed in Article 244 of the 2015 Penal Code (amended and supplemented in 2017).

Earlier, on April 25, 2023, at Noi Bai International Airport, Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch (Hanoi Customs Department) coordinated with Hanoi City Police and Northern Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Unit (the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department), Noi Bai International Airport Police to conduct an inspection of Dien's luggage and goods when entering the country from Doha (Qatar) to Noi Bai Airport.

As a result, the enforcement authorities discovered that Dien illegally transported three white rhino horns, weighing 9.76kg; one black rhino horn weighing 2.06kg and 37 African ivory products, weighing 4.71kg.

In Da Nang, on February 21, 2023, the People's Court of Da Nang City sentenced Nguyen Duc Tai (born in 1989, hometown of Ha Tinh) to 10 years in prison for “violating regulations on protecting endangered and precious and rare animals” as per the provisions of Article 244 of the 2015 Penal Code (amended and supplemented in 2017) and three-year prison for “forging seals and documents of agencies and organizations; Crime of using fake seals or documents of agencies or organizations” under provisions of Article 341 of the Penal Code.

Tai was received a sentence of 13-year prison and an additional fine of VND50 million.

Tai was involved in two violation cases that were arrested by the Da Nang Customs Department and relevant authorities.

In early June 2021, Da Nang Customs Department detected a ring illegally transporting wildlife products from abroad to Tien Sa port (Da Nang) and closely monitored the movement of the consignment.

On July 17, 2021, as soon as the shipment arrived at the port, Da Nang SeaPort Customs Branch coordinated with units under the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department, Environmental Police Department (Ministry of Public Security), Da Nang City Police, Coast Guard Region 2 Command and Da Nang Border Guard to inspect the container transported from South Africa and discovered more than 138 kg of rhino horn, and more than 3.1 tons of lion bones.

On January 12, 2022, the enforcement authorities discovered 456.9 kg of ivory and 6.2 tons of pangolin scales inside a shipment transported from Nigeria to Vietnam.

Notably, ENV data showed that the highest sentence for wildlife crimes ever recorded in Vietnam is the 14-year prison for Do Minh Toan (born in 1985, residing in Liem Son commune, Thanh Liem district, Ha Nam province) sentenced by the Hanoi People's Court in December 2021.

Regarding this case, on July 25, 2019, the Customs Enforcement Team and Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch (Hanoi Customs Department) coordinated with Hanoi City Police to conduct an inspection and discovered 55 pieces of rhino horn with a total weight of about 130 kg inside the shipment named by Do Minh Toan on the import declaration.