Vietnamese suspect arrested for 'trafficking of 58kg of pangolin scales' at Thai-Lao border
A Vietnamese suspect was arrested for trafficking pangolin scales at the Thai-Lao border.
Hoang Ngoc Cuong, 37, was detained at a checkpoint on the Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, on October 21 at around 7.30pm.
The arrest followed the seizure of suspicious parcels containing more than 58kg of pangolin scales at the Mukdahan bus terminal, which authorities believed were destined for Laos.
The discovery sparked an investigation by the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and CITES officials.
Police subsequently obtained an arrest warrant for Cuong from the Mukdahan Provincial Court on charges including the unauthorised possession of protected wildlife remains.
They intercepted him at the checkpoint following intel he was entering Thailand through Nakhon Phanom province.
Police Colonel Chatchai Samniang, commander of Nakhon Phanom Immigration, said the arrest was carried out as part of a nationwide immigration crackdown targeting transnational crime and foreign criminals.
He said: ‘We are carrying out the official procedures to transfer the suspect to the responsible inquiry officer for further legal action.
‘This case reflects inter-agency cooperation in intercepting transnational wildlife trafficking networks.'
Pangolins are endangered scaly mammals found across Asia and Africa and are considered among the world's most trafficked animals.
They are hunted for their scales, which are used in traditional medicine despite having no proven medicinal benefits, and for their meat. All eight pangolin species are protected under international trade restrictions, with commercial international trade banned under CITES.
Thailand is a major transit hub for animal trafficking. With its porous borders with Myanmar and Cambodia, the country is a key route for smuggled wildlife across Southeast Asia.
