The environmental crime investigation police in the central province of Ha Tinh Sunday rescued 106 pangolins, an endangered scaly animal, from illegal traders.
Colonel Dang Quang Niem, deputy head of the province’s PC36 police department, said on December 11, he sent a special task force to National Highway 8A to examine a Camry car numbered BKS 30M – 1207 which was suspected of transporting a large number of wild animals following a tip-off.

When the car entered Duc Long Commune in Duc Tho District, the police ordered it to stop for checking but the driver ignored the police and sped on.

The driver later crashed into the police’s car and was finally captured. The police found 106 living pangolins, which weigh nearly 400 kg and are worth over VND1 billion (US$50,000) inside the car.

The car was also carrying some weapons and fake license plates.

Driver Nguyen Van Ngon and his assistant Do Manh Viet failed to prove the origin of their goods and were arrested.

The police are still investigating where the pangolins came from.

Tuoitre