Authorities seized two suspected leopards from a vehicle with Lao license plates.

(Baonghean.vn) -At 6:00 AM this morning, January 18th, the Anti-Smuggling Team of the Economic and Functional Crime Investigation Department of the Provincial Police (PC46), in coordination with the Dien Chau Traffic Police Station and Mobile Forest Protection Team No. 1 of the Nghe An Forest Protection Department, conducted an administrative inspection of a passenger bus with a Lao license plate and discovered two suspected clouded leopards that had been shot dead.

The car, bearing Lao license plate UN-6688, was driven by Nguyen Van Hao (residing in Dien Lien, Dien Chau), and the owner was Vo Van Thinh (residing in Dien Thap, Dien Chau).

Upon inspection, authorities discovered two dead animals weighing 22kg and 43kg of animal bones (the species of animal is yet to be identified). The two dead animals were hidden in a passenger bus. Based on the visual assessment of the forest rangers, these were two clouded leopards – a Group 1B species – an endangered group requiring protection.

The suspects and evidence.

Currently, Hào and the car have been handed over to the Economic and Corruption Crime Investigation Department of the Provincial Police for further investigation. The two suspected leopard carcasses and the animal bones are being preserved by Mobile Forest Protection Team No. 1 for identification.

Ha Linh