On January 26, Nghe An Provincial Police initiated a case, prosecuted and temporarily detained Ho Van Manh (born in 1988) and Tran Thi Ngoc (born in 1968, Manh's mother-in-law) for the crimes of Trading in prohibited goods and Violating regulations on the protection of endangered and rare animals.
Police read the indictment against Tran Thi Ngoc and Ho Van Manh. (Photo: Provided by Police)
Evidence seized at the house of suspect Tran Thi Ngoc. (Photo: Provided by the police)
Previously, the Police Department of Investigation of Economic Crimes, Corruption, Smuggling, and Environmental Crimes of Nghe An Province coordinated with interdisciplinary forces to inspect the house of Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc in Ngoc Son Hamlet, Do Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District, and discovered that the homeowner and Manh were hiding 110 sacks with a total weight of 2,846 kg, worth more than 14 billion VND.
At the time of inspection, these two people could not present documents proving the origin of the shipment.
Working with the authorities, Manh confessed that he bought pangolin scales from abroad and hid them at Tran Thi Ngoc's house, then sorted and cleaned them with the intention of selling them for profit.
Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc knew clearly that these were pangolin scales that Manh bought to resell to others, but she still helped receive the goods, classify the scales, and pack them.
Authorities are completing the case file to handle the case according to the law.
Pangolins are endangered species, and their trade is prohibited under the CITES Convention (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
Pangolin body parts are highly valued on the black market. Their scales are used as a valuable medicinal ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, while their meat is considered a delicacy in many Asian countries.
TRONG TUNG - TRAN LOC
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