Politie in Vietnam heeft een illegaal transport van berenpoten onderschept. De berenpoten werden van Laos naar Vietnam getransporteerd. Het gaat om poten van de bedreigde Maleise beer, ook wel honingbeer en sun bear genoemd. Bears in Mind steunt de strijd tegen de illegale handel in dieren, onder andere door het steunen van een TRAFFIC project gericht op de bescherming van Maleise beren: Beren in 't nauw in Maleisië.

Bron: Thanh Nien News (http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vietnam-busts-illegal-transport-of-18-bear-legs-from-laos-64663.html)

Police in the central province of Thanh Hoa seized 18 frozen bear legs transported aboard a bus by its driver without a license on Tuesday July 26. The limbs, weighing 38 kilograms in all, were identified as belonging to red-listed sun bears, news website VnExpress said. Dinh Hong Phuong, 47, the driver, and Bui Thien Loi, 52, the bus owner, told the police that a man had paid them to deliver the legs from Laos to Vietnam.

The police also confiscated the bus for further investigation. Sun bears are categorized as "endangered" in Vietnam, where they are protected from hunting. Along with Asian black bears, sun bears are often targeted for their bile, hands and legs for use in traditional medicine. (Foto: VnExpress)