Contraband bear paws seized in Thanh Hoa hinh anh 1The coach transporting 38 kg of illegal bear paws (Photo: VNA)

Thanh Hoa (VNA)Customs officers in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa discovered 38 kg of illegal bear paws on July 26.

The contraband, which included 18 frozen bear paws, was reportedly smuggled from Laos to Vietnam by two Vietnamese men aged 47 and 52.

At the scene, they confessed to delivering the bear paws for gratuity from a person in Laos.

Trading in parts of endangered animals has become rampant in Vietnam as these items appeal to a large clientele who believe in their purported medicinal properties or promise of luck.-VNA
VNA