A 30-year-old man was arrested for selling illegal wildlife at a market in Stung Treng province yesterday.
Provincial Military Police raided his stall and confiscated more than 76 kilograms of wildlife, both dead and alive, including 45 kilograms of wild pig, 15 kilograms of live turtles and 16 kilograms of live monitor lizards, according to the Forestry Administration’s report and provincial Prosecutor Kim Hongsan.
Authorities also seized porcupine and loris remains, usually sold for traditional medicine.
A local man, identified as Huot Tara, 30, was arrested for selling the animals, according to the report.
Hongsan said the traded animals are not rare or endangered species, so Tara will face fines instead of prison, but he could not confirm the amount of the fines.
He added that Tara was in Forestry Administration custody where he was being questioned about possible accomplices, such as brokers and poachers.
Oeung Vandy, provinical Military Police commander, and Sao Vutha, Stung Treng town Military Police commander, both declined to comment.
Deputy provincial Forestry Administration head You Dung would say only that his officials are working on the case.
