ENV congratulates Nghe An provincial government and law enforcement authorities on their most recent successes against tiger trafficking criminals in the province. On August 1, 2021, Nghe An Environment Police stopped a vehicle and discovered 7 live tiger cubs being illegally trafficked, resulting in 2 subjects arrested who stated they were hired by an unidentified Laotian to smuggle the cubs from Ha Tinh province to Dien Chau district of Nghe An.
Days later, on August 4, 2021, Nghe An Environment Police raided 2 residential basements after receiving information about illegal tiger breeding facilities. Police confiscated 14 Indochinese tigers from one house and another 3 Indochinese tigers from the other, and 4 subjects were arrested at the scene.
The confiscation of 24 tigers in Nghe An represents great progress and a significant turning point in authorities’ efforts to eliminate the ongoing trafficking of tigers in this province.
In the aftermath of the latest seizure, it was reported that eight of the 17 tigers died due to complications during the transfer. Unfortunately, the death of the eight tigers has overshadowed the great accomplishments and hard work of all authorities involved in the investigation, confiscation, and arrests of those involved in breeding and slaughtering tigers.
“It is extremely important for the public to look beyond the death of these tigers and recognize the progress that Nghe An authorities have made. In fact, the recent confiscations are major breakthroughs in combating illegal tiger trafficking in Nghe An province,” states Bui Thi Ha, ENV’s Vice Director and Head of Policy & Legislation. “It was unfortunate for the police to bear blame for the death of the eight tigers while hundreds of tigers have been slaughtered by these criminals operating within the province. Without such bold and determined efforts by authorities, hundreds of more tigers would have been slaughtered in the coming years.”
The problem of illegal trafficking tigers in Nghe An is still far from over as it is estimated that there are still more than 100 tigers being kept in these communities. Nghe An authorities should receive support and encouragement to go after the remaining tiger criminals- the number one objective is to stop the raising and slaughtering of tigers by criminals operating in these communities in Nghe An.
ENV strongly supports the efforts currently underway in Nghe An to address tiger trafficking, and hopes that the public will focus on the positive efforts underway to stop the slaughter of hundreds of tigers by traffickers, and pursue arrests, prosecutions, and prison sentences. All of the deceased tigers are in the process of being transferred to the Vietnam National Museum of Nature, while the live tigers will be placed at Hanoi Zoo and other dedicated rescue centers or zoos that are able to accept them and raise them for the reminder of their lives.
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