Two men were briefly de­­tained and fined US$3,000 by police on Tuesday after an in­­ves­tiga­tion by Wildlife Alliance re­­vealed their role in an illegal wildlife smuggling ring in Kratie province.

Vuthy Ravong of Wildlife Alliance said nearly 600 kilos of wild animals, in­­cluding myna birds, snakes, lizards and a tortoise, were removed after a raid on the suspects’ house Kratie’s Sam­bour district.

He confirmed that both suspects had been detained by police, and later released.

To contact the reporter on this story: Phak Seangly at [email protected]