The customs office at Saigon Port under the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, in coordination with relevant forces, discovered and seized nearly 3.8 tonnes of pangolin scales which were hidden in two containers imported to Vietnam from Congo through Cat Lai port.
The pangolin scales seized at Cat Lai port (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – The customs office at Saigon Port under the Ho Chi Minh City CustomsDepartment, in coordination with relevant forces, discovered and seized nearly3.8 tonnes of pangolin scales which were hidden in two containers imported toVietnam from Congo through Cat Lai port.
The containers were unloadedin Cat Lai port on April 22 after transiting Singapore.
The containers, whichwere declared on paper to contain wood, were addressed to Thien Phuoc Duc Ltd.Company at No 50 Nguyen Trai Street, Tan Thien ward, Dong Xoai town of thesouthern province of Binh Phuoc.
After examining thecontainers, authorities uncovered the pangolin scales in 100 jute bags hiddenin the middle of the containers covered by wood blocks.
The case is underfurther investigation.
Vietnam has two species of pangolins, the Manis javanica and the Manispentadactyla. Both are listed in the category of rare and threatened speciessubject to priority protection under Decree 160/2013/ND-CP.
All hunting and trading of thosespecies are illegal, together with the use of products from pangolins.-VNA
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The pangolin scales seized at Cat Lai port (Photo: VNA) 
