3 November 2013 - Royal Thai Customs at Suvarnabhumi Airport recovered 72 Black Pond Turtles (Geoclemys hamiltonii) and eight other turtles, including six Crowned River Turtles (Hardella thurjii), one Three-keeled Land Tortoise (Melanochelys tricarinata) and one Indian Eyed Turtle (Morenia petersi), from two bags that arrived on a flight from Bangladesh.

6 November 2013 - Royal Thai Customs and DNP CITES Officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport seized 475 turtles, which include 423 Indian Star Tortoises (Geochelone elegans) and 52 Black Pond Turtles (Geoclemys hamiltonii). The animals were found inside 2 uncollected suitcases, which arrived on Thai Airways flight from Dhaka, Bangladesh

8 November 2013 - Thai Royal Customs at Suvarnabhumi Airport arrested a Pakistani national on a flight from Lahore, with four suitcases containing 470 Black Pond Turtles. These turtles varied in size from 6cm to 25cm long.

The smuggling was in violation of the section 27 of Customs Act, B.E. 2469; the section 16,17 of Customs Act, B.E. 2482; and the section 23, 24 of Thailand Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act, B.E. 2535.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of environmental police from the Ministry of Public Security raided three farms in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong yesterday, detecting and seizing more than 600 wild animals, along with wild animal products.

The inspections began at a farm in Duc An town, Dak Song district on September 11 morning. The farm is owned by Tran Danh Cuong, 47, who was absent at the time of inspection.

While searching the farm, inspectors found more than 100 wild live animals belonging to Group IB, which includes endangered and critically endangered species, including jungle cats, copperheads, douc langurs, panthers, monkeys, weasels, gayals, gibbons, and kraits.

In addition, inspectors found many carcasses that had been processed for making stuffed animals or being kept as specimens.

Inspectors also found a handbook of transactions between the farm and other traders and breeders of wild animals.

All the wild animals and wild animal products were seized.

Later the same day, the team continued to raid two other farms in Kien Thanh Commune, Dak K’Lap District, owned by Pham Cong Nhan, 46, and Le Truong Son, 42.

Inspectors detected and seized more than 500 wild animals and wild animal products in the two farms. Like at Cuong’s farm, all of these animals are rare, precious and endangered species.

Accompanying the team, Le Van Thieu, a forest protection officer at the Dak Song District, said that all the people involved will be held criminally responsible.

Myanmar Authorities Recover Illegal Firearms and Timber in 2 Wildlife Sanctuaries

Trees were illegally logged in Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary

The Forest Department of Myanmar has seriously paid attention to combat illegal wildlife trade as well as associated trade such as the illegal timber trade that leads to deforestation, forest degradation and loss of royalties. Combating this trade is the collaborative action between the Forest Department, National Police Force and local administration. In the month of July in 2013 alone, a total of 3,279.51 cubic meters of illegal timber were seized from 1,070 cases. The suspects involved in this illegal trade were held accountable for violation of the law, particularly the Forest Law (1992).

It was also reported that on 3 July 2013, a patrol team from Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary recovered 10.91 cubic meters of illegally logged timber from the Sanctuary. No suspect was identified in said case.

Illegal Hand-made firearms found in Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary

From 28-29 July 2013, officers from the Chattin Wildlife Sanctuary and Myanmar National Police Force were able to confiscate 15 hand-made firearms at four different places inside the wildlife sanctuary. The firearms were believed to be used for hunting wild animlas, especially the Myanmar Golden Deer (Cervus eldi thamin), an endemic species of Myanmar. Chattin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the Protected Areas in Myanmar that protect the deer.

June 2nd, 2013 - In collaboration with Forest Department officials, Myanmar National Police Force seized 77 tortoises and turtles in Pyi Gyi Tagon Township of Mandalay Region and arrested one suspect. The seizure included three Arakan Forest turtles, four Impressed tortoises, 27 Asian Leaf turtles and 43 Yellow tortoises. All confiscations are kept at the Turtle Rescue Centre and will be released to their natural habitats. The defendant is being charged in accordance with section 36 (A) of the Protection of Wildlife and Protected Areas Law(1994) and can be punished with imprisonment of up to 5 years or with fine of kyats 30,000 or with both.

June 18th, 2013 - In collaboration with Forest Department officials, Myanmar National Police Force seized 11 Kg of Pangolin scale from a suspect on the local bus running on the Kalay-Reed Road in Teetain Township of Chin State. The confiscated Pangolin scale are kept at the Forest Department Office of Teetain Township. The defendant is being charged in accordance with section 37 (A) of the Protection of Wildlife and Protected Areas Law (1994) and can be punished with imprisonment of up to 7 years or with fine of kyats 50,000 or with both.

June 18th, 2013 - A Mobile Inspection Team of Kalay District seized 155 Kg of dry orchids and 72 sheets of Barking Deer skin from a suspect on the local bus running on the Kalay-Tamuu Road in Chin State. The confiscated dry orchids and Barking Deer skin are kept at the Forest Department Office of Kalay Township. The defendant is being charged in accordance with section 36 (B) of the Protection of Wildlife and Protected Areas Law (1994) for dry orchids and section 41 (A) of the Forest Law (1995) for barking deer skin and can be punished with imprisonments of up to 6 years or with fine of up to 40,000 kyats or with both.

June 25th, 2013 - Myanmar National Police Force seized a suspect together with 1.633 Kg of Edible Nest Swiftlet Collocalia fuciphaga (white and brown) at the airport of Myeik Township in Taninthayi Region. The confiscated Edible Nest Swiftlet are kept in Forest Department Office of Myeik Township.The defendant is being charged in accordance with section 37 (A) of the Protection of Wildlife and Protected Areas Law (1994) and can be punished with imprisonment of up to 7 years or with fine of kyats 50,000 or with both.

Record of Seized Illegal Wildlife Trade in Myanmar ( June 2013 )

Notes: All cases are taken action by Protection of Widlife and Protected Areas Law (1994) and only exception is for barking deer skin.

Abbreviation: FD = Forest Department, MNPF =Myanmar National Police Force

222 Rat Snakes confiscated at Tarpalan Bridge between the Northern and Southern Shan States
and Elephant Poacher Prosecuted in Kyauktagar Township

Officers release the snakes back to the wild

On 28 January 2013 - a team comprised of Forest Department officials and Myanmar National Police Force seized 222 Rat Snakes as an action to combat wildlife trafficking at Tarpalan bridge, located at the border between the Northern and Southern Shan States. In accordance with the Protection of Wildlife and Protected Areas Law (1994), Myanmar National Police Force (Naung Cho Township) took action against the owner-carrier of the snakes. The defendant was charged according to Article No. 35(a) of the Protection of Wildlife and Protected Areas Law (1994). All the Rat Snakes were released into Shwe-U-Daung Wildlife Sanctuary.

Section 35(A) states whoever commits hunting without a license shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 3 years or with fine which may extend to Kyats 10,000 or with both.

Elephant Poacher Prosecuted in Kyauktagar Township

An operation on combating illegal killings of wild elephants has been successfully launched in Kyauktagar Township through the joint collaboration of the Forest Department staff, Myanmar National Police Force, and local village administers. On 29 January 2013, a staff from a private forest plantation camp provided information about an illegal killing of a wild elephant, which occurred in Compartment No.(109), Binder Forest Reserve, Bago Region. A dead elephant, two tusks, and one motorbike were confiscated. The poacher was charged according to Article No.37 (a) of the Protection of Wildlife and Protected Areas Law(1994).

Section 37(A) states whoever commits killing, hunting or wounding a completely protected wildlife species without permission; possessing, selling, transporting or transferring such wildlife or any part thereof shall, on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 7 years or with fine which may extend to Kyats 50,000 or with both.