December 23, 2020, Tay Ninh authorities have captured a suspect for storing 39 specimens of rare sea turtles to illegal trading.

Earlier, Go Dau District locals found a suspicious suspect on sea turtle illegal trading; therefore, they reported to Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV). As the time received information, EVN cooperated with Environmental Police Department (Tay Ninh Police) and Go Dau District Police investigated N.T.P house (1973, of Da Hang hamlet, Hiep Thanh village, Go Dau district, Tay Ninh province) and catch suspect red-handed preparing specimens to trading. Through home searching, the authorities discovered 39 large-sized of sea turtle specimens (40-50 cm per individual), which were illegally stored.

According to ENV’s early detection, the owner of 39 specimens is suspected as a big boss in wildlife smuggling, usually trading to China.
The case is continuing to be investigated by authorities.

ENV says that all kind of sea turtles are listed in List of endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection issued together with Decree No. 160/2013 / ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Decree 64/2019 / ND-CP) and stayed in Annex I Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Nevertheless, turtle smuggling and consumption are still rampant. Earlier in November at Quang Ninh province, the authorities detected a 10 seat car for illegal smuggling 207 turtles.

According to the Criminal Law 2015 (amended and supplemented 2017, effective from January 1, 2018), the act of poaching, killing, transporting, trading, keeping, and storing sea turtles or transporting, trading products or parts that are inseparable from their lives (regardless of quantity, mass, or value of material evidence) will be subject to a criminal penalty which is up to 15 years in prison for individuals.

Source: Bao Moi