The Hanoi People’s Court on May 4 sentenced Pham Van Luat, a resident in Hai Phong City, to 12 years in prison for illegally transporting ivory, a type of banned goods.
Hanoi (VNA) – The Hanoi People’s Court on May 4 sentenced PhamVan Luat, a resident in Hai Phong City, to 12 years in prison for illegallytransporting ivory, a type of banned goods, under Clause 1, Article 155 of thePenal Code.
On August 12, 2015, anti-smuggling police and the customs force at theNoi Bai international airport in Hanoi carried a check of Luat’s luggage afterhe arrived on a flight from Luanda (Angola). They found in his suitcase 24chunks of ivory and a number of ivory bangles, weighing 50.6 kg in total.
When the ivory was detected, Luat fled the airport. More than one yearlater, on December 22, 2016, he handed himself in to police and admitted hisviolation of law. Luat told the police that he was paid 200 USD to carry the ivory fromLuanda to Vietnam by a man named Quang, who he made acquaintance of whileworking in Angola.
The seized ivory was found to be tusks of the Loxodonta Africanaelephant, a species listed in Appendix I of the Convention on InternationalTrade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
A separate investigation will be launched into the man named Quang, asthe police has not obtained accurate information on his identity andaddress.-VNA
Customs officials in Ho Chi Minh City on December 1 reported that they have detected 529kg of elephant tusks illegally imported into Vietnam under the cover of wood.
Floodwater levels in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta are high and will continue to rise this month, especially in upstream areas, according to the hydraulic works management and construction department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
Conservation efforts to restore habitat and boost the population of red-crowned cranes in Tram Chim National Park are finally showing progress, with the cranes and many other rare wild birds coming back to the park.
Torrential rains from the night of July 31 to early August 1 triggered flash floods and landslides across several communes in Dien Bien province, leaving at least two people dead and eight others missing.
Transitioning to a circular economy not only offers a sustainable development path for Ho Chi Minh City but also serves as a pivotal step toward establishing a fully green economy.
An exhibition featuring 100 green, recycled, and circular economy models and products from 50 businesses and educational establishments took place in Ho Chi Minh City on July 31, as part of the local green transition forum and recycle day 2025.
Regional solidarity and cooperation are the key factor for the effective implementation of wildlife protection regulations. Only through sustainable cooperation, innovative approaches, and collective action can biodiversity be safeguarded for the present and future generations, an Vietnamese official has said.
Hanoi has approved a comprehensive plan to restore the environmental quality and develop four major urban rivers – the To Lich, Kim Nguu, Lu, and Set reverine environments.
The Javan pangolin is listed in Vietnam’s Red Book as critically endangered and is protected under Group IB – a category reserved for forest species facing an extremely high risk of extinction and requiring strict conservation measures.
As a key member of the core group of 18 countries, initiated by Vanuatu, Vietnam engaged in advocating for the UN General Assembly’s Resolution N.77/276, requesting for the ICJ’s advisory opinion. Following the resolution's adoption, Vietnam fully participated in all procedural steps for the first time, from submitting written proposals to presenting directly at the court’s hearings.
The wild elephant population in Da Nang includes a full developed herb of mature males, females, and calves. To date, the herd has grown to nine individuals.
Conservation efforts here have become a model, helping to save millions of turtle hatchlings and promoting Con Dao as a member of the Indian Ocean-Southeast Asia Turtle Site Network.
As part of its drive to fulfil its net zero emissions commitment by 2050, Vietnam is fast-tracking the development of a legal corridor to launch a pilot carbon market by the end of 2025, according to the Department of Climate Change.
Under the plan, from 2025 to 2026, the city will complete mechanisms and policies to support businesses in switching to green vehicles, expand the electric and green-energy bus network, and build charging stations. The targeted proportion of green buses is set at 10% in 2025 and 20–23% in 2026.
Storm Comay, the fourth in the East Sea this year, was at around 16.7 degrees North and 118.3 degrees East, in the east of the East Sea's northern waters as of 4am on July 24.
The disaster risk warning level for flash floods, landslides, and ground subsidence due to heavy rains and flows is rated at level 1, except in Nghe An, where it is raised to level 2.
Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA) 
