Provincial authorities dispose of confiscated animal parts. - VT
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): Forestry inspection authorities in Oudomxay province recently disposed of 358 protected wild animal carcasses which were confiscated from markets and roadside stalls.
The haul included five live animals, 353 carcasses and animal meat, weighing a total of 91.6kg and worth an estimated 5,496,000 kip.
All of the animals and body parts impounded were protected by law and their sale prohibited.
The confiscation of protected wildlife and animal meat was in compliance with an Executive Order issued by the Prime Minister in 2018, aimed at strengthening the management and inspection of the trade in prohibited fauna and flora.
This includes species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and well as those included in the National Ivory Action Plan, of which Laos is a state party.
Following the confiscation of the prohibited wildlife, provincial authorities issued a warning to market vendors.
Some traders were found to be openly advertising animals and animal parts on social media.
Authorities also discussed on Provincial -Wildlife Enforcement Network (P -WEN), which has been set up as a special taskforce to support investigations in the trade in wildlife and enable intelligence-led enforcement actions that deliver effective provincial, national and international wildlife enforcement outcomes.
The formation of the P-WEN creates a rapid response interagency taskforce with highly trained officials who can quickly and effectively investigate wildlife crimes.
The network will also provide advanced training for law enforcement agencies in investigation and prosecution, including intelligence analysis capacity and how to combat the ever-growing online trade in wildlife.
In addition, the taskforce will carry out financial investigations related to organised crime networks, and build strong wildlife crime cases that can be taken to court and prosecuted.
