On the Trail - Robin des Bois

Seizure of 233 live pangolins / Tien Yen District, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
/ July 17, 2013
Near the Chinese border, Vietnamese police intercepted 3 vehicles carrying 233 live pangolins.
Seizure of 85 kg of pangolin scales / Guwahati, Assam State, India / July 17 th 2013
The seizure took place at a private flat in the Beltola area. The scales came from south India. They were supposed
to be smuggled in China through Myanmar. Pangolin scales are worth up to 1,000 US$ per kg on the
international black market. The species concerned is the big Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata). It is present in
Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. At the same time and place, 1,444 kg of pseudoephedrine tablets were
seized. Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant that can be used in the fabrication of methamphetamine, included in
the World Anti-doping Agency (WAA) list of prohibited products. Guwahati is Assam’s biggest city.
Seizure of 137 pangolins / Province of Quảng Ninh, Vietnam / July 17 th and 18 th 2013
July 17th, police discovers 62 pangolins in Hai Ha district and the day after, 75 pangolins in Ha Long city. The animals
were hidden in 2 cars, both heading for China. The mammals weighed a total of more than 620 kilos. 2 men were
arrested. Some of the animals were dead and many others were in poor condition. They were transferred to Soc
Son Wildlife Rescue Centre in Hanoi to be saved. Pangolins are generally kept alive during transport to sell them at
a better price to Chinese restaurants. But the stress and dehydration in smuggling transport often cause death. 2
species live in Vietnam : the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and the sunda pangolin (Manis javanica).
Seizure of 49 live pangolins / Bukit Kayu Hitam, State of Kedah, Malaysia / July 21, 2013
The pangolins were found in the trunk of a taxi car, in bags. The driver is a 57 year old man from Thailand. He was
hired by an international criminal group to transport the pangolins to China via Thailand (approximately 2,700 km).
The value is estimated at US$ 15,753. In Thailand, pangolin meat is worth minimum 110US$ per kilo, and 3 times
more in China. This is the second seizure of pangolins in this town during the month of July. The sunda pangolin
(Manis javanica) is the only pangolin species found in Malaysia.
Seizure of 26 pangolins / Gangkou District, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China / July 25, 2013
Another routine traffic stop in China, this time in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which ends with the
turbulent seizure of 26 live pangolins.
Seizure of 15 live pangolins (70 kg) / Sabak Awor, State of Johor, Malaysia / July 29, 2013
The seizure is estimated at US$ 14,000. Local authorities have warned of the presence of an unknown boat on the
banks of the Muar River. Upon arrival, the Malaysian navy patrol arrested a suspect and got hold of 2 bags full of live
pangolins. Malaysia is home to the Javanese or sunda pangolin (Manis javanica).
Seizure of 49 pangolins (2 dead) / Near Guangzhou area, Guangdong Province, China / July 29, 2013
It makes you wonder if in 1 car on 2 rolling in China and neighboring countries there is not at least a pangolin taken
hostage. Following an accident on a highway between a truck and a black Toyota from which 2 people ran away
full speed. In the car trunk, the police officers arrived in a hurry to settle the traffic, found 67 false registration plates
and 49 pangolins, 2 dead. The story doesn’t tell if they died in the collision or from dehydration.
FAMILLY AFFAIRS / Seizure of 2.05 kg of pangolin scales / Imphal, State of Manipur, India / July 31 st , 2013
On board a Maruti Alto, a woman and her son were intercepted by a patrol of Assam Rifles troops with 2.05kg of
pangolin scales. The highway controls were organized in the framework of a national campaign for the environment
and the protection of biodiversity, locally filled in for by the “Women Skill Development Center” of the District
of Thoubal.
GANG / Seizure of 70 kg of pangolin scales / Siliguri, State of West Bengal, India / July 31 st , 2013
A group of 7 criminals was arrested in possession of pangolin scales. 2 of them were Nepalese and moved to India
to help the 5 Indian citizens in the transport of scales by way of Nepal for the final export to China. 70 kg of scales
implies around 300 pangolins being captured, according to the relevant authority of Baikunthapur. “We are dealing
with an international network which does not only work with pangolins,” the experts of West Bengal suspect. The
scales would have been bought in the State of Haryana in the Mahananda Express. The corridor of Siliguri is the preferred
escape route towards Nepal for animals and their by-products illegally captured in the Indian sub-continent.
Seizure of 8 pangolins (24.4 kg) / Province of Ha Tinh, Vietnam / August 3, 2013
Authorities tried to intercept the motorcycle transporting the pangolins on the highway. The driver got rid of them
and escaped.
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On The Trail # 2. Robin des Bois