The ENV Ho Chi Minh Team completed comprehensive wildlife trade surveys of consumer establishments in Ward 10 yesterday. Survey teams found violations in 28 of 120 establishments that were inspected which included restaurants, markets, pet shops, TCM shops, and bars.
Violations were found in 34% of all restaurants surveyed. The most serious violation was a live marine turtle observed at a restaurant. Police inspected the restaurant the following day but the marine turtle was gone. Other violations were mainly restricted to wildlife advertised on menus or in wine.
ENV is conducting comprehensive surveys of business establishments in four districts o HCM City and four districts of Hanoi as part of a campaign to reduce wildlife consumption in both cities. The results of surveys in all eight districts are transferred to district and city government leaders, after which the establishments with violations are inspected again to evaluate the response of enforcement agencies in cleaning up their districts.
At the end of the year a report card will be released comparing performance between all eight districts and both cities in tackling consumer wildlife crime, and leveraging further action to address consumer crimes before ENV expands the surveys to additional districts within each city.
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