Authorities busted a shipment of 54 king cobras.

A shipment of 54 king cobras, weighing 164kg, was discovered and seized by Hanoi police on the afternoon of April 21st.

King cobra. (Source: zoltantakacs.com)

At approximately 11:15 AM on April 21st, the Hoang Mai District Police, in coordination with the Environmental Crime Investigation Department of the Ministry of Public Security and Traffic Police Team No. 14, detected a car with license plate 30L-4737 traveling on Ring Road 3 in the direction of Phap Van-Khuat Duy Tien exhibiting suspicious behavior. Authorities signaled the vehicle to stop for inspection.

Upon inspection, authorities discovered that the car, driven by Nguyen Van Hao, born in 1983, residing in Dong Phu village, Tan Cuong commune, Vinh Tuong district, Vinh Phuc province, was carrying 53 king cobras weighing 164 kg. These are rare and endangered animals, belonging to group 1B. The estimated value of these snakes is approximately 300 million VND. The police immediately transferred the confiscated items to the Soc Son Rescue Center.

Thus, in just a short period recently, the police force has repeatedly discovered and apprehended cases of cobra trafficking in Hanoi.

Previously, on April 19th, Traffic Police Team No. 14, Road and Rail Traffic Police Department, Hanoi City Police, while on duty in the Phap Van Expressway area, discovered a four-seater car driven by Nguyen Van Hai from Vinh Phuc province carrying 56 king cobra snakes. Driver Hai confessed to transporting the snakes for a stranger for a fee of 1 million VND.

According to (VNA) - LT