Officials Intercept Four-Ton Shipment of Endangered Pangolin Scales
Vietnamese customs officials found approximately four tons of endangered pangolin scales smuggled into Hai Phong Port from Indonesia.
A suspicious waybill was behind the discovery of four tons of illegal pangolin scales in a container that was marked as dried seaweed. There were also two tons of tortoise shells in another container - supposedly containing dried tuna stomach.
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According to Thanh Nien Daily, this incident occurred just two days after the interception of two tons of elephant ivory, hidden among thousands of snail shells, from Tanzania - and three days after 100 kilograms of ivory was found hidden in a Hanoi-bound car.
The smuggled shipments of both pangolin scales and elephant ivory were en route to Hoa Vuong Investment and Commerce Company in Hanoi.
Not the first cases
Unfortunately, these are not the first cases of illegal animal parts smuggling in Vietnam. There have reportedly been more than eight tons of ivory discovered so far this year, including six tons in a container from Tanzania.
In a related Earth Times article, WWF trafficking expert Dao Thi Ngoc Van said that most elephant ivory smuggled into Vietnam is ultimately destined for China.
And despite being an endangered species, pangolins continue to be slaughtered to fulfill the demand, mostly from mainland China, where superstitions about the power of pangolin parts - including fetuses - continue unabated.
Tragically, the Asian prosperity boom (especially in China) is fueling the disappearance of our planet’s natural treasures, such as pangolins, rhino, tiger, and elephant.
How long are conservation organizations going to stand paralyzed by “political correctness” while Chinese superstitions continue to destroy the world’s wildlife?
Enough is enough.
‘How long are conservation organizations going to stand paralyzed by “political correctness” while Chinese superstitions continue to destroy the world’s wildlife?
Enough is enough.’
Well said.
Ignorance is ignorance even when it’s got money and is hiding behind national identity and ‘tradition’.
Given that Viagra is an effective alternative to the problem that lies at the root of most ills that ‘traditional’ medicine aims to solve should we be buying and shipping large quantities of it to Asia where it can be given away for free? Would that help?