A trafficking ring in HCMC and Long An province is a well-known provider of these products.

“Our products have prime quality. Goods will be delivered to you at your home. A tank of wild cat is priced at VND8 million, one bear arm soaked in with poppy flowers and opium is VND15 million,” said T, who introduced himself as the owner of the ring to reporters.

“Tiger cubs are now in Long An province, and bear arms and wild cats are at my house in HCMC. Only one tiger, one cat cub and two bear arms are available. But there are numerous grand cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah) “ he said over the phone.

“If you can fly to HCMC, I will treat you will all kinds of animal infused wine. Just make a call, and I will pick you up at the airport,” he told reporters.

T fulfilled his promise. He led reporters to storehouses in HCMC and Long An province. In HCMC, reporters could see many tanks of alcohol with grand cobras, brought to Vietnam from Laos and Cambodia. T said the snakes were killed in Laos and Cambodia before they were brought to Vietnam.

When reporters said they wanted products with the best quality, T led them to an area specifically reserved for tiger and wild cats. He showed a tank with a tiger cub inside priced at VND88 million.

However, when asked about the uses of the animal soaked in alcohol, T gave only a general answer, saying it would help improve health.

It took one hour for reporters to drive from HCMC to Long An province. But they were well rewarded for their time: they could see a big tiger in alcohol in a large tank. T said it was a ‘special product’ with the selling price of VND2 billion.

When reporters said problems could occur during transportation and that forbidden goods may be seized by police, T said there was no need to worry. 

“No worry. I guarantee that you can bring products to Hanoi,” he said. “You need to make decisions quickly, or I will sell all the products to others.”

After the trip, reporters met La Hong Phuc, head of the Gia Vien district’s Police. Phuc said wild animals were brought to Vietnam through many ways and that policemen had spent a lot of effort to discover trafficking cases, but traffickers had only suffered minor punishment.

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