Quang Nam woman gets five years behind bars for illegal wildlife possession hinh anh 1Exhibits seized in a wildlife trafficking case (Illustrative photo: VNA)
 
Hanoi (VNA) - A 58-year-old woman in the central province of Quang Nam was sentenced by a provincial court on May 12 to five years in prison for illegal wildlife possession, according to Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV).

Pham Thi Thuan must also pay a fine of 60 million VND (2,575 USD).

The first-instance court gave her two years behind bars last year and the same fine.

On May 8, 2018, a police raid found 13 king cobras, eight Bengal monitors, nearly 300 turtles, and many other wild animals illegally kept in captivity inside Thuan’s house in Thang Binh district, which had been registered as a wildlife breeding facility.

She had twice previously been subject to administrative sanctions for the unlawful possession of wildlife, in 2011 and 2013.

ENV Deputy Director Bui Thi Ha welcomed local authorities investigating the case and bringing Thuan to court. She also urged authorities to revoke the license for Thuan’s wildlife breeding facility./.
VNA