Malaysia Busts Wildlife Trafficking Ring Involving Vietnamese Citizens

Malaysia’s authorities have arrested a group of 12 people, including eight Vietnamese nationals, for wild animal trafficking allegations, seizing hundreds of parts of endangered species following raids on two transnational wildlife trafficking rings in the country. The raids were jointly made by the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) and Malaysia’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan). The WJC is an international non-profit organization based in The Hague, the Netherlands. The seized wildlife parts are worth about $500,000, including elephant ivory, pangolin scales, tiger skins, big cat bones, tiger claws and teeth, bear gallbladders, and hornbill beaks, according to Vietnam News Agency. Investigators from the WJC have successfully infiltrated two criminal networks operating in Malaysia, including one Vietnamese and one Chinese. If convicted, the traffickers will face a fine up to $122,225 or a five-year imprisonment, or both. Madelon Willemsen, head of TRAFFIC Vietnam said that Vietnam is at the heart of the illegal wildlife trade. It is a source, consumer and transit country. Vietnam and China share the leading position in the world’s wildlife trade destinations due to high consumption of wild animals for a traditional conception that wildlife products will help improve health and cure diseases, especially fatal ones. With an effort to curb wildlife trafficking, Vietnam issues jail sentences up to seven years in prison to those participating in trading wild animals. (VnExpress.net Sept 4)