Strictly handle violations of trading and transporting wild and rare animals

(Baonghean) - The situation of transporting, trading, and storing rare and wild animals is becoming very complicated, but the penalties for these subjects are considered not commensurate with the crime.

Complex developments

At 2:00 p.m. on January 28, at the Yen Ly intersection (Dien Yen commune, Dien Chau district), the Environmental Police Department (PC49) successfully broke up Project 125L, catching Vu Truong Thi (born in 1975, residing in Phu Vinh hamlet, Do Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district) red-handed while using a 4-seat Camry with license plate 37A 04663 to transport a large number of pangolins, turtles and soft-shelled turtles. The total evidence included 5 pangolins belonging to group 1B (endangered and rare in need of protection) weighing 15kg; 12 turtles weighing 12.5kg and 2 soft-shelled turtles weighing 3kg.

The Environmental Police Department caught a case of transporting 30.5 kg of wild animals on January 28.

At the investigation agency, suspect Vu Truong Thi said that the above goods originated from Laos. Thi sent the passenger bus running the Laos - Nghe An route, the goods arrived in Nghe An and were transferred by Thi to a Camry for sale. Major Tran Van Hung, team leader of team 2, PC49 said: "For the act of transporting rare and endangered wild animals. Currently, Vu Truong Thi has been prosecuted and the case is being further investigated and clarified by the investigation agency of Dien Chau District Police."

In fact, in recent times, the illegal consumption and trade of rare and precious wild animals has continued to develop quite complicatedly. Although authorities at all levels and functional sectors have actively promoted, educated, and implemented management and protection measures, because of high profits, many people still directly participate in or assist in the hunting and trading of some wild animals for profit. Goods are mainly gathered from Laos through small border routes and then brought inland for consumption or transported to other markets, possibly even to China.

Evidence seized by authorities.

Mr. Nguyen Van Binh, Head of the Inspection and Legal Department (Provincial Forest Protection Department) said: In the face of complicated developments in 2015, the Department has directed local Forest Protection Departments to strengthen inspections, especially for restaurants and captive facilities, and to search for information on the internet to promptly detect and handle. In addition to increased patrols and controls, the task of capturing and monitoring these activities at the grassroots level has also been strongly enhanced by the authorities. Therefore, many cases have been detected and promptly prevented.

However, according to authorities, the transportation and trade of rare and endangered wildlife is becoming increasingly sophisticated. If transported in small quantities, criminals often put them in packages, briefcases, and transport them by public transport. If they are rare and in large quantities, the goods are divided into many sections and many means of transport. For passenger cars with Lao license plates, which are usually 54-seat vehicles, the subjects create additional secret tunnels, hidden behind the gas tank, on the roof of the car, etc.

During the transportation process, the subject often has a reckless and impulsive attitude, driving the vehicle at high speed. If encountering inspection by the authorities, the subject resists by stopping the vehicle but locking the door, not getting out of the vehicle, and not cooperating. If given the opportunity, he will find a way to escape, possibly driving straight into obstacles or into the pursuing force...

Results of detection, arrest and handling of violations of wildlife and rare animals by the Environmental Police Department (Provincial Police) and Forest Rangers in 2015.

Not strictly handled

Currently, crimes related to the act of harming or threatening animals in the "red book" are not considered serious crimes. According to Article 190 of the Penal Code, the maximum penalty for crimes against wildlife is 7 years in prison. However, according to Colonel Tran Huu Hong, Head of PC49: Many subjects were prosecuted and brought to trial after being arrested. But to date, there has not been a single case of imprisonment related to the act of harming or threatening rare and precious wildlife species. This reduces the deterrent effect of the law on criminals.

Pangolin is a rare animal that needs to be protected.

In fact, the transportation, trade, and possession of rare and precious wildlife is generating huge profits. While if caught, they are often only subject to administrative sanctions, so many people still ignore it. In addition, Article 190 of the Penal Code stipulates that criminal sanctions for violations related to species on the list of endangered, precious, and rare species prioritized for protection do not require a basis for determining value or volume. However, in many specific cases, the authorities have applied Decree 157/2013/ND-CP to impose administrative sanctions. The application of administrative sanctions is not illegal, but clearly, the above fines are not enough of a deterrent.

For example, the case of Chu Van Cuong and Le Ba Thuan (Quynh Lap commune, Hoang Mai town). After posting photos of killing monkeys on Facebook, the Hoang Mai town Forest Protection Department came to inspect and fined Chu Van Cuong 5.25 million VND for illegally raising wild animals. As for the acts of "illegally buying wild animals" and "illegally killing wild animals", Mr. Le Ba Thuan was administratively fined 12.7 million VND.

After posting photos of killing monkeys on social media, Chu Van Cuong was discovered to be illegally keeping wild animals, but the authorities only imposed an administrative fine of 5.25 million VND. (photo on Cuong's Facebook)

It can be said that strict punishment is a measure to prevent the acts of trading, transporting and storing wild and rare animals. However, this is still considered a partial solution, because the root of the problem is the awareness of the people and especially of officials and state agencies about the protection of wild and rare animals. Currently, the depth of awareness and vision of the danger in the protection of wild animals is still limited. Many people do not understand that protecting animals is protecting the ecological balance in order to build a living environment for animals and humans.

Therefore, in the coming time, propaganda and education to raise awareness must be the leading and regular measures in many diverse and effective forms. In addition, it is necessary to strictly handle the acts of transporting, trading and storing wild and rare animals. Regularly strengthen inspection work to promptly detect and prevent these illegal activities.

Pham Bang