Receiving a sentence of 10 years of imprisonment due to illegal transporting of ivory from Afirca to Hai Phong

Hoang Van Hao (bule shirt). Source: ENV

Ivory "disguised as cow horn"

Hoang Van Hao is Director of HMD Technology Joint Stock Company (address: Hoa Binh commune, Thuong Tin district, Hanoi). This is the enterprise that imports shipments containing ivory that were discovered and seized by the Hai Phong Customs Department in coordination with the competent forces in early 2023.

Previously, on February 2, 2023, at Lach Huyen port, Hai Phong Customs (including Customs Enforcement Team and Dinh Vu Port Customs Branch) chaired and coordinated with the Command of Vietnam Coast Guard region 1, Hai Phong Border Guard and Hai Phong Police conducted an inspection of the suspected container and discovered nearly 500 kg of ivory.

The shipment was registered for import declaration on January 28, 2023 at Dinh Vu Port Customs Branch (Hai Phong Customs Department). The shipment was imported by HMD Technology Joint Stock Company (address: Hoa Binh commune, Thuong Tin district, Hanoi).

The goods included 1 container transported on the ship XIN WEN ZHOU 147E, entering Lach Huyen port on January 22, 2023.

On the declaration, the enterprise declared goods including 1 item: "cow horns", scientific name bos taurus, which was not on the list of prohibited imports (according to CITES), used to produce crafts. The goods have been pre-processed, cleaned and dried, 100% new, originating from Nigeria (Africa).

Continuing implementing the topic related to ivory products, on February 6, 2023, at Lach Huyen port, Hai Phong Customs Department and Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Vietnam Customs), Hai Phong Police and other competent authorities discovered and seized nearly 130 kg of illegally imported African ivory.

The shipment was packed in a container number transported on the ship KOTA LIHAT, entering Lach Huyen port on February 3, 2023, information about the goods and consignee on the transport documents was the same as the shipment was recently seized on February 2, 2023 (as mentioned above).

It is known that besides receiving the 10-year prison sentence, Hao will also be fined an additional VND50 million and all evidence of the case will be destroyed.

ivory was seized by Hai Phong Customs on February 6th. Photo: T.Bình

Handle harshly

According to the Education for Nature Center (ENV), in recent times, with the advantage of transporting large volumes of goods, low costs and the risk of being detected and handled is not high, many people have used sea routes to transport and trade illegal wildlife across borders.

ENV has recorded many cases where the authorities discovered tons of wild animals being illegally transported by illegal transport lines to Tien Sa port (Da Nang), Cat Lai port (HCM City), Hai Phong port area and some other seaports.

However, very few cases discovered in the seaport area have been brought to trial.

Therefore, the authorities and prosecution agencies of Hai Phong City arrested, prosecuted for criminal liability and successfully brought to trial Hoa - a leader of the illegal import of wild animals by sea is an extremely important step forward.

This case is also the first case of illegal wildlife transportation discovered at Hai Phong port in which a subject was arrested and brought to trial.

“This is a harsh sentence for Hoang Van Hao - known as the leader of a ring specializing in illegally transporting wild animals to Vietnam. ENV hoped that the great efforts of Hai Phong City's prosecution agencies in successfully handling the case would "pave the way" for handling the leaders of serious wildlife cases. discovered at Hai Phong port and other seaports in Vietnam in the coming time. With resolute action and a spirit of zero tolerance towards wildlife crime by the authorities and prosecution agencies, ENV believed that we could completely destroy these rings of transnational illegal wildlife trade...", Mrs. Bui Thi Ha - Deputy Director of ENV believed.