3 Chinese arrested for illegal rhino horn, ivory trade in Vietnam

The suspects, including Zhou Yonglin, 48, Yuan Tao, 36, and Wang Hao, 34, are being held for four months pending investigation on charges of violating regulations on the protection of endangered, precious, and rare wildlife, an officer said on Friday.

Officers conducted an inspection into a shop named Viet Cam registered under the name of a Vietnamese woman, identified as N.T.T., on August 1.

However, through the investigation, the police determined that Zhou, Yuan and Wang were the individuals managing and controlling the operations of the shop, located in Nam Nha Trang Ward.

Since January 2025, the shop has been found storing and trading products derived from endangered animals such as rhinos, bears, tigers, and elephants.

The target customers were the groups of tourists from China.

During the inspection, the officers discovered over 1.1 kilograms of rhino horns, along with a range of health supplements and traditional remedies. None of these products were accompanied by invoices or documentation verifying their origin.

The police also found 29 Chinese nationals and 33 Vietnamese employees working at the shop at the time of inspection.

The case is currently under further investigation.