Endangered cobras found in suitcases

Hà Nam police on Wednesday discovered some 130kg of cobras inside three wheeled suitcases, a backpack and a paper box wrapped in black nylon. - Photo courtesy of Hà Nam Police

Viet Nam News

HÀ NỘI — Police in the northern province of Hà Nam on Wednesday made an extraordinary discovery: three cabin suitcases filled with venomous cobras.

According to police sources, Trịnh Văn Nghị, 31, and his 30-year-old wife, Trần Thị Tuyền, from Hà Nam’s Thanh Liêm District were stopped by the police as they were passing Phủ Lý City.

On examining their luggage, the police discovered some 130kg of cobras inside three wheeled suitcases, a backpack and a paper box wrapped in black nylon. The couple failed to present papers proving the legal origins of the animals, which were listed as an endangered species on Việt Nam’s Red List.

Nghị told the police that a restaurant owner in HCM City had paid him VNĐ20 million (US$880) to transport the cobras from the southern city to Hà Nội.

The police are investigating the case. — VNS

Tags Vietnam wildlife trafficking Vietnam News news cobra endangered animal

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