On the morning of 19/8, the Department of Environmental Crime Prevention and Control (C05), Ministry of Public Security, in coordination with the Hanoi Forest Protection Department, inspected Vinh Hoang bird market in Hoang Mai ward. There, police discovered 15 motorbikes carrying cages of birds in the Vinh Hoang oto parking lot.

Vinh Hoang market is a well-known spot for bird enthusiasts, operating as a morning market on lunar calendar days ending in two and seven: the 2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, 22nd, and 27th. During the inspection, the task force found over 1,000 individual birds, including common species such as: sunbirds, white-eyes, magpie-robins, budgerigars, and mynas. Additionally, some birds belonged to group IIB, including: oriental skylarks, silver-eared laughingthrushes, cinnamon laughingthrushes, and greater necklaced laughingthrushes.

With the seventh lunar month underway, bird trading spots were more active, as many people purchase birds for 'phong sinh' (a practice of releasing animals for merit). A market-goer questioned, "Is the buying and selling prohibited if both parties engage voluntarily?"

Police explained that while the law does not prohibit the buying and selling of birds, buyers should thoroughly inquire about the birds' origin and documentation to ensure their legal rights.

Police and forest protection officers inspecting bird cages on the morning of 19/8. *Photo: Linh Dan*

A C05 officer stated that bird traders should possess documentation proving origin, but the 15 motorbike drivers transporting the birds to the market could not produce such documents. They explained that their trade was spontaneous, acquiring birds from large-scale dealers or various informal sources before bringing them to the market for sale.

This morning, one of the sellers admitted, "We thought authorities wouldn't inspect, so we gathered to transport birds for sale." He added that he and his wife, who have a child attending university, moved to Hanoi, rented a house, and sought a livelihood. He found bird selling profitable and flexible, leading him to continuously buy and resell.

C05 is coordinating with forest protection forces to identify, appraise, and clarify the origin of these over 1,000 individual birds. Typically, after processing, the forest protection unit will re-release these individuals at suitable locations or send them to conservation centers for care.

The seized bird cages. *Photo: Linh Dan*

Authorities urged these bird retailers to possess complete documentation regarding origin, forest product declarations, and quarantine certificates for imported birds. Citizens must also comply with legal regulations, refraining from arbitrarily buying or selling wild birds without verifiable origin or documentation.

"Violations will incur administrative penalties, and repeated offenses, depending on their nature, could lead to criminal prosecution," a police officer stated.

The Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment are jointly implementing Plan 628, which focuses on wildlife and aquatic resource protection in Vietnam.

In the first six months of the year, authorities uncovered 1,274 cases. Among these, 120 cases involving 202 defendants were criminally prosecuted, and 978 cases resulted in administrative penalties totaling over 6.8 billion VND.