Vietnam: Three more culprits surrender in tiger theft case

Three more men turned themselves in and police arrested another Wednesday for involvement in selling a gutted tiger stolen from a farm in southern Vietnam in June.

Dinh Bui Son Lam, Tran Quoc Dat, and Tran Xuan Thanh, aged 21 to 26, who surrendered, were all from Dong Nai province, Tien Giang province police said.

They were members of a gang led by Huynh Van Khau which had broken into the Dong Tam snake farm in Tien Giang, poisoned and disemboweled the tiger, and transported it to Dong Nai to sell to Pham Van Tuan at VND180 million (US$11,250).

Police found the stolen animal stored in a fridge in Ho Chi Minh City.

They also nabbed Loc Mang Phung, another gang member, bringing the total number of people held in custody for stealing and buying the tiger to 15.

Khau had been arrested earlier.

The gang was also involved in stealing 27 other rare animals in Dong Nai, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, and Ho Chi Minh City.

They had all pleaded guilty and would be charged with “violating regulations on protection of rare animals”, the police said.

Reported by Hoang Phuong – Translated by An Dien

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