Buyer of legally protected turtles to be sentenced to two to seven years in prisonVietNamNet Bridge – A man who illegally purchased around 7,000 dead sea turtles several years ago is expected to be sentenced to two to seven years in prison, a more severe punishment than what was proposed last year. Hai said he did not make his purchases by cash but instead exchanged alcohol, beer and cigarettes for the sea turtles. In November 2014, inspectors at Khanh Hoa Province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, with other agencies, seized 2,230 dead sea turtles at Hai’s warehouse. The following month, they found thousands of dead sea turtles and 789 giant clam shells in a different location. Hai said that he had not sold products from the turtles’ bodies, and that he was not aware that sea turtles were protected by law.

Source: VietNamNet News June 01, 2018 10:18 UTC