VietNamNet Bridge – Sixteen endangered sea turtles weighing nearly 190kg in total were found on Tuesday at Vo Thi Xuan’s seafood wholesale facility in Hon Thom District, Phu Quoc Island in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, online news outlet zing.vnreported.

The sea turtles were found alive. - Photo zing.vn

Phu Quoc Sea Conservation Area Management Board, in collaboration with the An Thoi Port Border Guard, inspected Xuan’s facility and discovered the turtles.

According to Xuan, she bought the turtles to release them, not to trade them.

“We made a report to seize these turtles but still let them stay in Xuan’s cage,” said the conversation area’s representative. “Phú Quốc District Police and Procuracy will conduct further investigations.”

The captive sea turtles are of a type featured in Viet Nam’s Red book of endangered species.  

In May, the Nha Trang City’s Court sentenced Hoang Tuan Hai four-and-a-half years for smuggling sea turtle.

Hải had smuggled over 10 tonnes of sea turtles in late 2014.

According to Education for Nature Viet Nam (ENV), it may have been the world’s largest sea turtle smuggling case.

Source: VNS