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| Vũ Thanh Hưng, 31, is at the court which sentences him to nine months’ imprisonment for transporting banned goods. — Photo anninhthudo.vn |
Viet Nam News
HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People’s Court yesterday sentenced Vũ Thanh Hưng, 31, residing in the central province of Hà Tĩnh, to nine months’ imprisonment for transporting banned goods.
On August 12 last year, the General Department of Việt Nam Customs, Nội Bài Customs and their partners checked the luggage of Hưng and Phạm Văn Luật, 27, from the northern port city of Hải Phòng while it was being transported from South Korea to Hà Nội and discovered elephant tusks and rhino horns in it.
The police investigation revealed that Hưng was working abroad as a mechanic and a builder in Angola since October 2013.
On August 7 last year, Tống Sơn Giang, 31, one of Hưng’s acquaintances living in Angola, hired Hưng to transport the tusks and horns from Angola to Việt Nam in exchange for US$1,300.
Hưng flew from Angola to Việt Nam on August 10 last year, transiting via South Korea.
Hưng entered Việt Nam at the Nội Bài International Airport, but did not declare the tusks and horns, which weighed 4.76kg, at customs. He left without completing procedures to receive the goods, which were inside two suitcases.
Hưng was seized by the police on August 30 this year. Luật managed to escape.
The police determined that the tusks belong to the elephant species with the scientific name Loxodonta africana, whose origin is in Africa, The horns belong to the rhino species with the scientific name Ceratotherium simum. The two species are listed as rare, valuable and endangered animals.
The police will investigate Giang’s case further before defining the charge against him. — VNS
