The Vietnamese Embassy in Chile said that it had contacted the Chilean Foreign Minister on January 22 requesting coordination to verify media reports on shark fins being dried on the roof of the Vietnamese Trade Office in Chile.

Photo of shark fins being dried

In reply to reporters’ question on the case, the embassy said the trade office reported that the shark fins were bought by a close relative of a staff member of the trade office at a market in Santiago de Chile for family use.

Earlier on January 22, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh instructed the ministry’s relevant agencies to verify and report on the incident.

The Ministry has also asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate in investigating the case and work with Chilean agencies to handle the case in line with Chile’s laws and regulations.-VNA