Seven tiger cubs were found dead in a car in Hanoi, Vietnamese state media reported on Friday, according to France24.Wildlife trafficking suspect Nguyen Huu Hue was arrested on Thursday for reportedly being responsible for the death of the tigers.
Vietnam is both a central artery in the wildlife smuggling route, as well as a large consumer of illegal wildlife; some is consumed in Vietnam, while the majority goes to China. Tiger meat is very useful and used for jewelry, traditional medicine and even to treat arthritis.Hanoi has attempted to deal with the illegal wildlife trade – although, due to weak law enforcement, the black market still flourishes.
The police, who have been following the movement of the wildlife trafficking circuits, have not yet determined if the dead cubs are from the wild or from Laos where there are several illegal tiger farms which export meat to Asia.
This discovery occurred as Vietnam is attempting to deal with the smuggling route from Laos.
"Hue set up a company... which sells building material as a cover for the illegal trading of tigers and wildlife," said Cong An Nhan Dan, from the Ministry of Public Security, according to France24.
This is not the only arrest of smugglers this week in South East Asia. A record seizure in Singapore of nine tons of ivory and a stash of pangolin scales on its way to Vietnam was also reported.