A 23-year-old man from HCM City’s Go Vap District on Tuesday (June 21) was sentenced to five years in prison and fined VNĐ50 million (US$2,242) for illegal trading wildlife.


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Phan Huynh Anh Khoa, who had been selling wild animals on social media, particularly on Facebook, has caused problems for law enforcement agencies for years.


Phan Huỳnh Anh Khoa, who had been selling wild animals on social media, particularly on Facebook, has caused problems for law enforcement agencies for years, authorities said.

Tân Bình District authorities said that Khoa on December 3 was asked to sell nine otters, worth nearly VNĐ32 million (US$1,435), and one black-shanked douc, worth VNĐ6 million (US$269).

He was caught by police officers at the meeting point later that day.

Officers also found another 10 wild animals, including two green iguanas, three varanidaes, two prairie dogs, one black squirrel, one Prevost’s squirrel, and one Siamese crocodile at Khoa’s store.

Khoa violated regulations on endangered wildlife species protection, posing a serious threat to not only bio-diversity but public health, according to authorities.

In 2014, Khoa was fined VNĐ3 million (US$134) by HCM City’s Forest Protection Department for illegally selling wild animals.

VNS