Rhino horn seized in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh

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Rhino horn seized in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh

Published: 7 Jan 2013 at 23.07
Online news: Asia

More than 27 kilos of rhino horn worth an estimated 42.6 million baht (US$1.4 million) have been seized by airport officials in Thailand and Vietnam.

Seized rhino horns are shown with alleged Vietnam smuggler Pham Quang Loc, 56, arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport when he arrived from Ethiopia on his way to Vietnam. Thai Customs estimated the horns are work more than $500,000 on the black market. They were allegedly hidden inside a souvenir hippo carried by Mr Loc. (AP Photo) A 56-year-old Vietnamese man was arrested on Sunday at Suvarnabhumi airport after six pieces of horn, weighing about 10.6kg, were found in his luggage, authorities said Monday.The same day in Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam, airport customs officers confiscated six pieces of rhino horn weighing some 16.5kg, the state-run Thanh Nien newspaper said.In that case, a 33-year-old Vietnamese man admitted to smuggling the horn from Mozambique via Doha and Bangkok, it said.Illegal hunting of rhinos has risen in recent years to meet surging demand for their horns in parts of Asia, particularly in Vietnam...

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nhatdinh
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Discussion 11 : 09 Jan 2013 at 11.4211
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Please try him and lock him in prison in Thailand. Do not extradite him to Vietnam where his rhino horn can buy judges.
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dao
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Discussion 10 : 08 Jan 2013 at 15.3410
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A 40 000 baht fine for 42 million baht worth of rhino makes it easy to understand why Bangkok is a trading hub .
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tamsin
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Discussion 9 : 08 Jan 2013 at 11.369
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This trade in ALL types of wildlife will never stop until the governments of the offending countries EDUCATE their respective populace, by whatever means necessary, as to the ignorant and erroneous effects of animal parts. And this includes the dog meat keeps you warm in winter idiocy.

You wouldn't have someone loitering outside Boots/Watsons in the West saying 'psst, forget the viagara/antibiotics, 'ave some rhino horn/tiger penis, yards better' now would you?
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wiseyeti
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Discussion 8 : 08 Jan 2013 at 11.328
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Last month the south african government said that at least 633 rhinos have been killed in South Africa in 2012.

Environmentalists claim the black rhino is becoming critically threatened, with less than 5,000 in the wild.

Poaching has become an industry: the number of rhinos killed in South Africa has climbed sharply from 13 in 2007 to 333 in 2010 and 448 in 2011.

At this rate, the african rhinos will have become extinct in only a few years, mostly because some asian people believe that their horns have medicinal properties, a medical claim which is widely discredited.

It is a shame on our species.
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coolit
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Discussion 7 : 08 Jan 2013 at 09.077
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So the laws are made to protect the Rhino Horn traders and not the Rhinos, this evil little runt will probably be out in a few months and back in Africa having more Rhinos killed, there are thousands to replace him as there are only a hand full of people in the world who help to do anything to stop the slaughter fighting for these amazing animals, seems perhaps that the horns were left on the rack and someone else was going to take them, either way, good on the customs officers for catching this nasty criminal, make him talk !!!
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GenetheMachine
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Discussion 6 : 08 Jan 2013 at 08.416
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The fine is not large enough. This crime needs some long jail time also.

Rhino horns have the same chemical composition as my fingernails. I will gladly sell you my fingernail clippings.
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djay
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Discussion 5 : 08 Jan 2013 at 07.395
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D1, actually contrary to popular belief it is not used as an aphrodisiac by old men (or any men for that matter). Unfortunately it is thought to cure things like fever and rheumatism. In fact there are people who even believe it can cure "devil posession".
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sirron
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Discussion 4 : 08 Jan 2013 at 07.344
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D1 oldexp, Your point is right on target, but hard to understand "why" in this day and age when modern medicine has developed cheaper and proven treatment for the same medical condition.
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mitrapaap
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Discussion 3 : 08 Jan 2013 at 07.243
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Oh, sorry for my other comment. I forgot they won't track the trail back to Ethiopia to arrest the real guys. Nothing will happen to those.
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mitrapaap
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Discussion 2 : 08 Jan 2013 at 07.222
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"...but left his luggage unclaimed on a baggage carousel,..."

Maybe they should do IQ tests before hiring the smugglers?
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