The People’s Court of Ha Dong district in Hanoi on March 20 handed down a jail sentence of 13 months on Nguyen Mau Chien for smuggling 36kg of rhino horn, according to the Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV).
Hanoi (VNA) – The People’s Court ofHa Dong district in Hanoi on March 20 handed down a jail sentence of 13 monthson Nguyen Mau Chien for smuggling 36kg of rhinohorn, according to the Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV).
Chien was suspected to bethe mastermind of a ring trafficking rhino horns, elephant tusks and productsof wild animals from Africa to Vietnam.
Bui Thi Ha, Directorof Policy and Legislative Campaigns atENV, acknowledged Vietnam’s breakthrough efforts in the fight against wildlifetrafficking when Chien was brought to trial.
However, she said, the13-month imprisonment is not strict enough to reflect the seriousness of the case.
The centre has expected ahigher prison term to be issued for the defendant which will be a deterrent towildlife traffickers, she said.
The 2017 Penal Code, whichcame into force since January 1, 2018, increases maximum jail sentences forwildlife crime from seven years to 15 years.
The ENV on January 22revealed that 16 international and social organisations in wildlife protectionin Vietnam signed a letter calling on Vietnamese law enforcement agencies tostrictly handle Chien.
Earlier at Chien’s trial on November 27, 2017,the judging council asked for supplementary investigation to clarify the originof some seized exhibits and conflicts in defendants’ statements.
Chien, who was arrested in April, 2017, wasallegedly the head of a wild animal trafficking ring from Africa to Vietnam. In2007, he was arrested and punished in Tanzania for illegally transporting wildanimals.
In the last five years, his ringis believed to have expanded its operations in Africa, focusing on rhinohorn, elephant tusks and pangolin scales trading.
In September 2017, in a visit to Vietnam, adelegation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species ofWild Fauna and Flora (CITES)’s Secretariat and Vietnamese authorities reviewedthe ratio of arresting and prosecuting of wildlife crimes. CITES recommendedthat Vietnam strengthen efforts in trying and apply stricter punishments forthe crimes.-VNA
16 organisations in wildlife protection in Vietnam signed a letter calling for strict trial of Nguyen Mau Chien, the suspected mastermind of a trans-national rhino horn trafficking ring.
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Illustrative photo (Photo: VNA) 
